Screaming Lord Sutch - "Screaming Lord Sutch Story" Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation, Unofficial Release,

I never feel that Screaming Lord Sutch came from the world of rock n' roll.  The legendary Lord I feel came from the theater and film world of Tod Slaughter.  A horror icon who traveled throughout the United Kingdom performing in Victorian-era macabre theater plays as well as appearing in borderline exploitation horror films. Theater of absurdity meets rock n' roll plus a dash of Tod equals Screaming Lord Sutch. 

Only one man can capture the intensity and eccentricity of Lord Sutch and that, of course, is Joe Meek.  Probably their most famous recording is "Jack The Ripper" which even out cramps The Cramps in horror rock.  If one has to compare Lord Sutch to another artist, Alice Cooper comes to mind, but Alice (and that band) strikes me as more intellectual.  Sutch is in one's face, and it's entirely music hall entertainment, but not in the tasteful sensibility.  

Meek brings the horror out of Sutch's visions into the 3D sound of its production.  Screams, laughter, and the savage rocking of the backing band, The Savages, of course, are remarkable then as well as now.  The membership of that band is a mystery.  Possibly Jimmy Page, but more likely Ritchie Blackmore (of Deep Purple fame) played guitar in the Meek recordings, but due to the insane world of Meek and company it is never obvious or explicit, which comes to this album or compilation of Lord Sutch cuts - "Story."

The album is a lovingly put together bootleg, but even with liner notes, it gives no credit to Joe Meek, or any information regarding the recordings, or who plays what.  With the help of the Internet, I figured that Meek produces all except one cut.  For sure all the early trademarks of the Meek aesthetic is tattooed on these set of recordings.   Side one is devoted to horror, which is Lord Sutch's natural habitat, and side two is "rock."  The highlight for me is the demented version of "The Train Kept A Rollin" which is insane.  As for the others, they seem to be the blueprint for bands like the excellent Cramps to follow or connect their dots.  Punk rock in a garage rock manner, Screaming Lord Sutch plus Joe Meek was a brilliant team.  

Frank Sinatra - "To Be Perfectly ...Frank" Vinyl LP, Album, Bootleg (Retrospect)

I wrote a commentary on the CD version of "To Be Perfectly... Frank" a few months ago, but finally found this Frank Sinatra bootleg on vinyl the other day.   It's my favorite Sinatra album.   In 1953, Sinatra had a weekly radio show in Los Angeles where he played DJ, and then he would do one song live on the show.  The album (and CD) is a compilation of those recordings, and they're a remarkable document of this incredible American artist.   Which sounds academic-like, but in reality a real joy to listen to these recordings. 

What makes these recordings so unique is that it's Sinatra with a small band, including an electric jazz guitar, bass, drums, and Piano, and one can easily imagine all these musicians plus Frank, in a tiny radio studio together.  The intimacy is very much part of these recordings.    The songs are all from the classic American songbook, but with quite a few of obscurities as well.   Also, note that there are more songs on the CD version than the LP.   I found this (sealed) vinyl by getting on my knees in a record store and going through the floor-level bins.  It's amazing what one can find (or do) on one's delicate knees. 

Ennio Morricone "Danger: Diabolik" CD, Album, Unofficial Release, 2001 (Sycodelic)

The legendary and lost soundtrack album from Ennio Morricone.  "Danger: Diabolik" is the ultimate late 1960s (or is it the 70s) hero/villain film made in Europe.  A combination of The Phantom meets James Bond mixed with Fantomas, Diabolik is the ultimate of the ultimate masked heroes, who embraced the sexual revolution with great passion.  Actually, he has a true love that is more Eros than keeping a home together.   The soundtrack is equal to the film, and the story is that the master tapes were destroyed in a fire.   So the soundtrack has never been released officially, only in the shadow world of bootlegs.  

The album is great. It does have a classic Morricone song "Deep Down," which I believe is known to all those who love Retro Lounge Culture.   The album is a mixture of electronics, sound effects, and sharp bursts of melody that runs through the entire soundtrack.  This particular package also has a lot of dialogue, which I suspect that they just recorded everything from a film print or VHS tape.  So, entirely listenable, the sound quality is not the best in the world.  Still, it's a fantastic album, and important for those like me who collect Morricone. 

THE ROLLING STONES -"Necrophilia" Bootleg

The Rolling Stones

"Necrophilia" 

For me, due to the inner-world I live in, this is the Stones album for me.  And oddly enough, it's a bootleg.   "Necrophilia" is sort of the bastard version of their collection "Metamorphosis" but of course, much better.  I don't really know the history of this particular bootleg, except I think at one time this was going to be released as a rarity album of goodies - why it didn't happen, I don't know.  Still, it's my favorite Stones album.   

Some of the material on this album sounds more like the Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra with Jagger on vocals - or perhaps session musicians (Big John Sullivan & Jimmy Page?) but clearly some of the recordings here were meant to sell the songwriting of Jagger and Richards to other artists.  "Neocrophilia" captures the band between being a R&B band and popster songwriting duo.   Even the 'hits' that we know are different on this album.  "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby" is either an early mix, or more stripped-down version. It has always been one of my favorite Stones cut.   It is like hearing a blending machine mixing your favorite ingredients for a drink.   Pure cocktail of sound.  Trumpet? Blaring in the background, echoy vocals fighting out with the background vocals, and it is simply wonderful.  

This album is sort of the negative version of "Aftermath," in that I'm sure it was recorded around the same time, or in a sense the "Aftermath" notebook.  Notes for an unfinished album.  The nature of recordings that are bootlegs is to see the wizard behind the thick velvet curtain at work.   It is like we are in the studio but invisible. "Hear It," is the mystery cut.  The beauty of this particular song is that it sounds like a soundtrack to a film, but discarded.  Lot of guitar pickings, and then this beautiful string section takes over, but it goes back and forth with the guitars.  Somehow I don't feel this is a Keith Richards guitar.  Brian Jones related production?   Or maybe Jimmy Page?  A beautifully arranged piece. 

"Some Things Just Stick In Your Head" is a throw-away song, but that is also its charm.  It is a country arrangement with the full pop Jack Nietzsche arrangement.   The song is not that hot, but the production and arrangement are amazing.  "Aftermath" is a jam session, and I'm sure I can hear Phil Spector's voice in the background.  So this maybe the Spector/Gene Pitney gets together with the Stones

"I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys" is the classic Mick and Keith song.  This is where they show their true worth and sensibility.  I often felt that the best love songs by Mick and Keith were really about them.  The sexual energy in that band is not going outward, but very much inward.  It is more of a yearning to be within one's gang then out with another 'girl.  "Andrew's Blues" song is about sucking. And I believe this is also Phil/Gene and I want to point out the Motown influence in the early Stones - especially during this period.

An early period of "Street Fighting Man" but here with different lyrics and called "Pay Your Dues."   The height of the Brian Jones sitar, strong bass playing by Wyman, and the great Nicky Hopkins.  It's magic really.   Now comes my favorite of the favorites, "Each & Every Day of the Year."  The slow built-up is almost Roy Orbison intensity, with his sort of lyrical world and melody.  It's a beautiful song. Majestic.  It is so good, I suspect that it isn't the Stones, but Mick with session players. "The Sleepy City" is another fave of mine.  It appeals to the Situationist instinct in me.  To walk in an urban area in the early morning - perhaps after a long night out, or just waking up to this beauty of a landscape.  I often walk around the town here, with this melody in my head. 

The version I have is a vinyl picture disc.   I wish that there was more concrete information about these recordings, like who plays what and so forth.  On the other hand, the mystery is extremely appealing.  Sometimes the information that is in my head is totally wrong, but yet, enjoyable.  Nevertheless a superb collection of songs that are lost in the Stones world.