JUKE BOX JURY

JUKE BOX JURY

RECORDS

BY GREG SHAW

Rock 'n’ Roll Never Dies (it Just Gets More Expensive)

Feb. 20

Sometimes a mere 7” piece of plastic Can reach out and grab a whole vector of rock history, pulling it into focus for you for the first time. It happened, to me twice today. Sitting around with Marty Cerf listening to Dusty Springfield’s greatest new record, "Who Gets Your Love” (Dunhill 4341) I suddenly understood what Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds were all about, why the Four Tops had a hit on Dunhill, what the real story behind the short-lived TA label was, and a host of other fascinatingly trivial insights into the workings of the pop process.

It’s a great tale, and one that Marty, as my only rival singles columnist, is writing up for Phonograph Record Magazine. And not as good anyway as the one I stumbled on later, •while playing “I Love .You More Each Day” by Curt Boetcher (Elektra 45834). For starters, it’s a marvelous single -from an exciting album. Part of the new singles renaissance, it ought to be a hit along with Grin’s “Love Or Else” but neither will be. These aren’t records like “Do Ya” or “All the Young Dudes,” no, they’re a different kind of wonderful altogether. Based around low-key harmonies and depending entirely on the arrangement for their success, they have hooks like anchors and all the Spector-patented studio tricks.

Curt Boetcher started out as an arranger with Dunhill during that label’s folk-rock heyday, fell under Gary (Jsher’s wing and was involved in Together Records, which had Sagittarius (Usher’s group from Columbia and “My World Fell Down” - see Nuggets) and other stuff including a great single by Sandy Salisbury culled “Do Unto Others” (Together 101). Boetcher, Usher and Keith Olsen of trie Music Machine produced all these records, and Curt had his psychedelic portrait on the label along with Usher, co-owner Carole King and someone else who is either Lou Adler or Moses. Boetcher was also in a forgotten group called Ballroom and a big Columbia hype by the name of The Millenium, back jn ’71.

The Usher consciousness lies heavy over eVerything Boetcher has done, and it’s a style whose time has come around again. As fresh as the Hondells, sounded in their time, that’s how good' Boetcher sounds today. It’s the sound of California, back again just when we need it. Listen to Curt Boetcher if only for the fact that he produced “It’s Not Right” by the Plastic People (Kapp 789). These are the Alamos of rock culture, and we mustn’t forget them.

Speaking of “Do Ya” and lost battles), reinforcements have just arrived , in the form of “Tonight” (UA 202), a 1971 stiff for the Move but a brilliant record that might now be hit material. Just a bit ahead of their time, was.all. It’s the most likely English platter of the month, anyway. I can’t see anything with such weak vocals as “Sweet Jane” by Mott and Hoople (Columbia 45784) making it, especially after “One of the Boys” flopped. The Hollies’ “Magic Woman Touch” (Epic 10951) seems pretty well entrenched. I don’t know how they do it; even after losing Clarke, they sound better than ever. Gotta be the comeback success story of the decade. Wish I could say the same of Colin Blunstone,. whose album is just super. But if it were me, I’d have put “Pay Me Later’4 on the single instead of the two slushy ballads they chose. Actually “I Don’t Believe in Miracles” (Epic 10948) is all right. Notice all of Blunstorie’s stuff is written and produced with Rod Argent and Ghris White. Those three oughta get together and start a group . . .

Dave Edmunds is one of my heroes1. Ije knows his oldies and he knows their place, and he’s one of the few who can approach the Chuck Berry source without being blinded. His own stuff and his production work with Shakin’ Stevens and the Flamin’ Groovies (whose “Slow Death” on-English UA has been growing on me like crazy) are about the only things that can get an old rocker off like the originals. You might call Edmunds the Todd Rundgren of England. If he decides he wants to be the Ronettes or the Chantels, he simply walks into his studio and does it. That’s what he’s tjbeen doing lately and the results are astonishing. “Baby I Love You”/: ^Maybe” (RCA 74-0882) are not carbon copies, but man I’ve never heard a Spector sound like this, and I’ve heard ’em all. In the end, though, it’s for the amusernent of himself arid us discophiles. I can’t see him making the charts or the cover of Rolling Stone with this record, great as it is.

One artist who is making a belated return* to those charts is Dobie Gray, yes the same one who, and “Drift Away” (Decca 33057) has endeared him to the in crowd once again. It’s a good song, all right. At first I thought he was saying “Give me the Beach Boys” but it’s “Give me the beat boys and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock & roll, and drift away .. .” Sentiments, we can all share, I’m sure. There’s not much to the song besides that, except a great arrangement - QED.

If you think you’ve groovy because you like Stealers Wheel and think “Stuck in the Middle With You” (A&M 1416) sounds kinda like Dylan, well, think again pal. The fact is these guys were around for years as the Humblebums, had . about three albums, and you never heard ’em. They’ll probably be quite big, but if you ask me, once a Humblebum always a Humblebum. I personally (at the risk of drawing R. Christgau’s suspicious gaze) would much prefer hearing “Blue Suede Shoes” by Johnny Rivers (UA 198). A fantastic record, easily as good as “Rockin’ Pneu-. monia,” not as authentic except for the echo, more a stops-out rocker that sounds like it may’ve started as a mere studio; goof. Those kind-of records are often the best.

You may laugh, blit “Sandman” by the Lettermen (Capitol 3512) is a good cover ofi the America song and a very nice pop record. These guys have paid their dues, ypu gotta give ’em that. Ddn’t you know what kind of dues Richard Plant has paid? Is it Robert’s kid brother? Seems that way, when you see the title, but “Goin’ to California” (Capitol 3482) is a different song and it’s lousy anyway. The new Looking Glass record, “Rainbow Man” (Epic 10953) is a pretty weak followup to “Brandy,” can’t see it happening.

Johnny Farnham, the Australian David Cassidy mentioned a couple months back, wifi have to do better than “Don’t You Know It’s Magic” (Capitol 3522) if he wants to win the heart of Gloria Stavers. Give him credit for doing .a Mann-Weill song, “Sweet Cherry Wine” on the flip, though. Capitol seems to be doing a lot of international expansion lately. A chart hit by Edward Bear, the group everybody lapghed at, and nowNa fine record from Canada by Pepper Tree, .called “Midnight Lady” (Captiol 3536). A solid middleweight pop rockerj somewhat in the Humble Pie vein.

I don’t listen to a lot of country records anymore unless they’re unusually good or just unusual, and one in the latter category is “Nowhere to Run” by Ken Springer (Million 33). If you’re having as much trouble imagining a country version of Martha & the Vandellas as I had, you oughta hear this record. And if you're a fan of labels like me, be aware that Buddah has a new custom label called Brut, as in aftershave, the first release being “Rich Man’s Son” by Jesse Cutler (800), a mediocre soul number. And surprise, the Viva label is back. A great label in the mid-sixties when Snuff Garrett was running it, they had the Wailers, the Sound Sandwich, the Second Helping (great punk record) and the Shindogs, including Delaney Bramlett, Leon Russell and other legendary names. Anyhow, Garrett’s gone and the label seems to have devolved to Snuffy’s old sidekick Dallas Smith, with the first release in years as a Warners custom job, a lousy record by Alan O’Day called “Somewhere She is Sleeping.”

Mel & Tim are currently my fave R&B act. I still play “Starting All Over Again” (Stax 0127) all the time, and now “I May Not Be What You Want” (Stax 0J54) is out. Like an early Motown hit without the overpowering arrangement, it’s the kind of song that grows on ya, like a reggae record. And it’s from a movie, which seems to be the trend. “Armed and Extremely Dangerous” by First Choice (Philly Groove 175) is a good example of the Johnny Too Bad R&B film theme type song, but even better is Bobby Womack’s theme from “Across 110th Street” (UA 196). A good record, sounds somewhat like a jazzy “Back-stabbers”. I kinda like Luther Ingram’s new single too. It’s called “I’ll Be Your Shelter (In Time of Storm)” and it’s on Koko 2113. He really puts feeling into his voice, which is what I like about Jimmy Cliff (my pick for the new Sam Cooke - I can’t even listen to A1 Green’s crap anymore after getting into Jimmy), who’s long overdue for a U.S. release himself.

But I promised you reggae would happen, and it will. “Rock it Baby” by Bob Marley and the Wailers (Island 1 211) is a very pleasant piece of music, and by the way these aren’t the same Wailers of “Tall Cool One” fame. “Stir it Up” by Johnny Nash (Rpic 10949) is not the pop masterpiece “I Can See Clearly Now” was, but as reggae it’s a much purer song, and written by .Bob Marley incidentally. Songs like this really fill a gap in R&B music.

Hey, oldies fans! Wake up! I got some news for ya. Things are poppin’ as usual, and you can now get all kinds of records that a year ago would’ve cost you $50 or more apiece. Starting with “Tongue-Tied Jill” by Charlie Feathers, leased legally from Meteor and available from Jeff Stolper, 850 Haverford Ave. No. 7, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 for around $1. Feathers is the definite obscure rockabilly raver, and though his King sides are slightly better, this record is a must for all maniacs. Then there’s Ray Campi, who rocked down in Texas in 1956 and is currently pressing up his old stuff so a new generation can hear it. And kudos-for him! “Caterpillar” on Heritage 172 (7615 Sunset, Hollywood, CA 90046) is not only great rockabilly, it’s got a spoken introduction too and a great flip. Send a buck and drop my name. Meanwhile, if it’s the cool group sounds that drive you wild, check out the latest from Bim Bam Boom Records. “Cold Feet” by the Dell Vikings, “I Love You So” by Dino & the Heartspinners, and “Oh Rose Marie,” a neverreleased 1958 side by the Fascinators. Send your dollars to Box 146, Brooklyn, NY 11223. Get their magazine too. And remember: rock ‘n’ roll never dies — it just gets more expensive.