8-Trackin’: Cat Stevens, Sonny & Cher, Bee Gees Reissues (1971-78)

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CAT STEVENS, SONNY & CHER, BEE GEES REISSUES (1971-78)

In which enterprising labels exploit ’70s superstars by repackaging their ’60s recordings — some good, some bad.

Cat Stevens, Very Young and Early Songs (1971). At the end of 1971, Cat Steven’s kindhearted folkie style had caught on, and he’d managed several US hit singles. He’d just released his third A&M album Teaser and the Firecat, with “Morning Has Broken” about to be issued on 45. To capitalize on Stevens’ growing fan base, his former label London/Deram issued a random collection of 45s and album tracks from 1967-69. The original release dates aren’t shown on the 8-track or LP sleeve (only on the label), but the album title makes it clear these are reissued songs.

After popping in the tape, though, most fans would find their beloved Cat unrecognizable. Rather than gentle guitar odes, these are brassy, upbeat ’60s pop songs in the Tom Jones / Petula Clark mode, with cynical and often silly lyrics: “come on baby, wash that dog,” “you’re broke, you dope you.” Cat did write some good songs back then (“The First Cut Is The Deepest” was covered by Rod Stewart), but they’re not here; look for the 1977 LP/8-track Cat’s Cradle for a better sampling of his ’60s hits.

Cat Stevens: “It’s a Supa (Dupa) Life” (1967)

Why the change in Stevens’ sound? A near-death experience with tuberculosis in 1969 and a year-long recovery led to the reflective, spiritual style you know and love. There’s a glimpse of that here in the somber and sensitive “The Tramp.” But most fans would rather leave this expired can of peas on the shelf.

Cat Stevens: “The Tramp” (1967)

Sonny and Cher, The Two of Us (1972). Around the same time, Sonny and Cher were having a career resurgence thanks to their new TV variety show and their first hit single in years, “All I Ever Need Is You.” Having met in 1962, they’d sung backing vocals on Phil Spector sessions before launching their duo career in 1965. Sonny’s songwriting and showbiz smarts and Cher’s looks and voice brought the husband-and-wife team instant fame, but the hits soon ran out. A Vegas standup act, in which Cher good-naturedly chided her husband, led to a TV show featuring more of the same.

As The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour started its second season in fall 1972, former label Atco reissued two 1965 and 1966 albums by the duo as The Two Of Us. Featuring ’70s photos of the couple, this could have passed for a new release. Still, viewers would have been delighted to find the original hit version of “I Got You, Babe,” which the duo sang at the end of every Comedy Hour episode. Fans of the show’s comic routines might also also enjoy novelty numbers “Say C’est La Vie” and “Podunk,” the latter with Cher telling corny jokes!

Sonny & Cher: ‘Podunk’ (1967)

But The Two Of Us is a real gem for aficionados of Los Angeles ’60s pop, too. The sessions were mostly recorded at Gold Star Studios featuring drummer Hal Blaine and his Wrecking Crew session musicians, so the backing tracks sound a lot like the Byrds or Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys. Sonny and Cher even revisit songs produced by Phil Spector, including the gorgeous Ronettes album track “You Baby.” Its chiming guitars and galloping drums will make you think you’re listening to an old Philles 45.

Sonny & Cher: ‘You Baby’ (1967)

The Bee Gees, Peace of Mind (1978). Fast-forward to 1978, when everything the Bee Gees touched would turn to gold. After a series of sentimental chart hits such as “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” from 1967 to 1972, the Australian vocal group had changed up its sound by adding a dance beat and Barry’s newly discovered falsetto voice. The resulting disco groove, as heard on “Nights on Broadway” and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, sold massively worldwide. That summer, the band found itself portraying the Beatles (sort of) in a film adaptation of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

To make quick cash off the red-hot Gibbs, Pickwick released four budget compilations simultaneously in August 1978. These featured 36 tracks recorded between 1963 and 1966 — and none of the sentimental hits mentioned above. Though the cover art states “Australian sessions circa ’64,” most copies were likely snapped up by rabid Bee Gees fans who didn’t bother to look at what they were grabbing.

Bee Gees: ‘Cherry Red’ (1966)

The 24-minute Peace of Mind must surely have come as a shock to the disco crowd, as its nine songs are heavily influenced by American oldies and the British Invasion. “Cherry Red” sounds like the Kingston Trio, “Born a Man” is a rip of the Animals’ “It’s My Life,” and “Don’t Say Goodbye” evokes the Everly Brothers. Yet weirdly, this album might have pleased fans of the Sgt. Pepper movie, as a few cuts sound just like the Beatles. In particular, “All Of My Life” is a perfect pastiche of “It Won’t Be Long” and “Not A Second Time” — with Barry doing a passable John Lennon!

Bee Gees: ‘All Of My Life’ (1966)

Summary: Grab Sonny and Cher’s The Two Of Us if you see it, but you can safely skip the other two unless you’re a huge fan of UK ’60s pop… and even then, proceed with caution.

You can read last week’s installment here: Big Star Custom Tape, ‘#1 Record’ (1972), ‘Radio City,’ (1974)

Join us for more of Andrew Tonkin’s 8-Trackin’ next Thursday!

Vintage Ads (Look & Listen): John Lennon, ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ (1975)

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John Lennon, ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ (‘Record World’ magazine, February 22, 1975)

John Lennon recorded a batch of rockin’ teenage favorites in 1974 and released them on the Rock ‘N’ Roll LP in February of 1975.

The record included the single “Stand By Me” (US #20) which you can soak up below.

John Lennon: ‘Stand By Me’ (Live, 1975)

Previously on Vintage Ads: L.T.D., ‘Don’t Lose Your Cool’ (1975)

Vintage Ads (Look & Listen): L.T.D., ‘Don’t Lose Your Cool’ (1975)

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L.T.D., ‘Don’t Lose Your Cool’ (‘Record World’ magazine, February 22, 1975)

L.T.D.’s Gittin’ Down LP rolled into shops in November of 1974. Two singles were released; “Tryin’ To Find A Way” and “Don’t Lose Your Cool” (which you can listen to below.)

I couldn’t scrounge up a chart placing for “Don’t Lose Your Cool” but the band is lead by Jeffery Osborne and the cut is a nice slice of tight funk. Lend an ear.

L.T.D.: ‘Don’t Lose Your Cool’ (1975)

Previously on Vintage Ads: Iron Butterfly, ‘Scorching Beauty’ (1975)

More L.T.D.: Disco Lab: L.T.D. – ‘(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again’ (1977)

8-Trackin’: Big Star Custom Tape, ‘#1 Record’ (1972), ‘Radio City,’ (1974)

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Big Star Custom Tape, ‘#1 Record’ (1972), ‘Radio City,’ (1974)

45 years later, the cult Memphis band’s first two albums finally make it to 8-track (sort of).

A wrong set right: Here it is, the one tape (or two) that should have come out during the heyday of 8-track but didn’t. Big Star’s first two magnificent gems of power pop died the death due to poor promotion and distribution. As such, no Big Star 8-tracks were ever issued; pity, as they would have sounded great in cars. (I got so mad at the tapes’ non-existence that I made my own 8-track “twofer;” more info below.) Though made with slightly different lineups and very different creative processes, both albums offer solid guitar riffs, soaring harmonies, lyrics full of teen angst, and plenty of love for the Byrds, Beatles, and Todd Rundgren.

The ballad of Big Star: In a way, the band was born in (or near) a recording studio: Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Built in the ’60s by engineer John Fry to the highest technical standards available, Ardent soon took the overflow from Stax Records’ busy in-house studio, producing such gems as Isaac Hayes’ Hot Buttered Soul. Fry encouraged Anglophile songwriter Chris Bell to form a band, so he connected with drummer Jody Stephens and bassist Andy Hummel, all of whom frequented Ardent. Needing a frontman with proven appeal, they invited Alex Chilton, vocalist for the recently defunct Box Tops (“The Letter,” “Cry Like A Baby”) to lead the group.

Big Star: ‘Feel’ (1972)

#1 Record: Big Star (named for a supermarket across the street from Ardent Studios) was really a studio group; they only played seven live gigs in their first incarnation. Over the course of 1972 they slowly assembled #1 Record at Ardent, driven by Chris Bell’s skillful songwriting and perfectionist nature and Fry’s crisp engineering. Chilton contributed to Bell’s amazing compositions but didn’t craft any songs of his own at the time. Ardent released the album through soul label Stax, who had little experience in promoting rock albums. The album got good reviews but few sales (people couldn’t find the album in stores) and zero airplay. This sent the sensitive Bell into a spiral of drinking and depression, and he quit the band, hoping for solo success.

Big Star: ‘Watch The Sunrise’ (1972)

Radio City: Now what?, Chilton, Stephens, and Hummel asked themselves. Lacking any better options, they decided to carry on with Big Star. In a show of great trust, Fry gave the band keys to Ardent so they could record and experiment after hours. After learning to thread tape, set levels, and press record, the band captured new songs and ideas in informal recordings, some actually used on the album. Chilton stepped up as a songwriter, combining the sound Bell had pioneered with wildly creative songs that followed no structure but their own; Chilton’s lyrics were even more informal, introspective, and “teenage” than before. This time Fry captured the songs quickly in just a month or two, giving the album a spontaneous, live energy with the same impeccable production.

Big Star: ‘September Gurls’ (1974)

The star also rises: Just as the album was being launched, Stax dropped the ball again; Stax’s new distribution deal with Columbia was slow getting started, and a second splendid Big Star album fell through the cracks. Denied once again! The band more or less fell apart at this point; Chilton and Stephens recorded a third Big Star album, but it was effectively an Alex solo record. (Note that Big Star Third has its own cult audience.) The end of Big Star, but also just the beginning: the band reformed two decades later and played on and off until Chilton’s death in 2010. The group’s distinctive jangle-pop sound inspired future generations of artists, including R.E.M., the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Gin Blossoms, Matthew Sweet, and Wilco.

Why no 8-track? Hard to say; Stax issued 8-track versions of nearly all of its soul vinyl releases in the early ’70s. Perhaps they were waiting to see if either album had momentum on radio or retail before issuing a tape. Or maybe it was just something they forgot to do (like promoting two of the most influential albums in pop history).

About this tape: I’d originally planned to make separate tapes of #1 Record and Radio City, but I’d gotten to know both through a single-CD release, so separating them just seemed weird. Not to mention forcing me to decide which I wanted to hear first! Luckily the albums were almost the same length, so I could split them equally across the tape’s four programs. By juggling a few middle songs, I was able to retain the classic starts and ends of each album. Since Radio City is the shorter album, I had to pad it slightly with brief pauses between the songs (rather than one long one at the end of each program). As with all my custom 8-tracks, I snipped off the extra blank tape at the end of the programs to ensure prompt program changes.

For the front label I simply used the cover of a 1978 gatefold UK vinyl release of both albums (the earliest such pairing). I based the back label design on perhaps the most famous Stax 8-track, Shaft by Isaac Hayes. I followed through on Stax’s tradition of putting the album titles in quotation marks. Shaft was released on Stax’s Enterprise sub-label, so I copied that design treatment for Ardent. To put the album titles on programs 1 and 3, I used the bold/medium type styling from the multi-artist Wattstax. I uploaded type samples to websites WhatTheFont and FontSquirrel to identify original fonts used.

Surely mine isn’t the first homemade Big Star 8-track, but it might be the fussiest. Hey, I did it for all the ’70s teens who weren’t able to hear “Back Of A Car” in the backs of their cars.

Big Star: ‘Back Of A Car’ (1974)

Extra credit: Bruce Eaton’s splendid 33 1/3 book on Radio City was a valuable resource for this article and a darn fun read.

You can read last week’s installment here: Four Tapes On Groove Merchant (1974-76)

Join us for more of Andrew Tonkin’s 8-Trackin’ next Thursday!

Vintage Ads (Look & Listen): Iron Butterfly, ‘Scorching Beauty’ (1975)

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Iron Butterfly, ‘Scorching Beauty’ (‘Cash Box’ magazine, February 01, 1975)

Hey, all. I’ve been battling the flu this past week but I’m starting to normalize. Let’s jump straight back into the music!

Sixties prog-rock behemoths Iron Butterfly reformed themselves around original guitarist Erik Brann and released the Scorching Beauty album in January 1975.

The disc failed to start any chart fires but you may find the tune “High On A Mountain Top” worth a spin.

Iron Butterfly: ‘High On A Mountain Top’ (1975)

Previously on Vintage Ads: Boomtown Rats, ‘A Tonic For The Troops’ (1979)

8-Trackin’: Four Tapes On Groove Merchant (1974-76)

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FOUR TAPES ON GROOVE MERCHANT (1974-76)

Striking obscure ’70s jazz-funk gold on a cult label approved by the Beastie Boys.

In Beastie Boys Book, Adam Horovitz describes visiting obscure Midwestern book-and-record shops because they “almost always have at least one early ’70s record on the CTI or Groove Merchant labels that I don’t have.” In 1992 the Beasties had cut a tasty instrumental called “Groove Holmes,” named for an organist who’d recorded for Groove Merchant.* Sadly I’m late to learn what the Beasties have known for decades; I only just discovered the cult jazz-funk label last month through a few 8-track finds. Still, no time like the present; let’s jump in and enjoy the Groove!

Various Artists, Groove Merchant Presents (1974): This is a survey of the early years of Groove Merchant, a label founded in 1971 by Blue Note producer Sonny Lester, who had also launched United Artists’ jazz imprint Solid State.

The LP’s flow, well-preserved on the 8-track, moves from past to present to future: it starts with Count Basie swing and a torch ballad from Dakota Staton, moves through ’60s soul-jazz and ’70s jazz-funk, and ends in a dissonant, abstract jam from Chick Corea. Somewhere in the middle is this smokin’ party jam from Groove Holmes himself.

Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes: ‘Night Glider’ (1972)

Lonnie Smith, Afro-Desia (1975): Groove Merchant’s roster leans heavily towards sizzling Hammond B3 organists, and Smith is one of them. (Don’t confuse Lonnie with his soul-jazz peer Lonnie *Liston* Smith — different guy.) Lonnie had played in George Benson’s ’60s combo; here, Benson returns the favor by playing guitar, credited only as “A. Friend” due to label conflicts.

This album opens and ends strongly with atmospheric, expansive, Latin-influenced jams “Afro-Desia” and “Spirits Free.” The other three cuts are fine, but the opener and closer, which resemble the trippy early years of War, are what you need.

Lonnie Smith: ‘Afro-Desia’ (1975)

Jimmy McGriff, The Mean Machine (1976): Last week I described this album as a “lost Blaxploitation soundtrack,” and I stand by that seven days later. The prominent string section and occasional flute give this collection a very cinematic feel, specifically resembling Isaac Hayes’ landmark score for Shaft.

This time out, organist Jimmy leaves the Hammond at home and works out instead on Fender Rhodes electric piano, clavinet, and synthesizer.

Jimmy McGriff: ‘Pogo’s Stick’ (1976)

Jimmy McGriff, Red Beans (1976): A continuation of The Mean Machine with most of the same musicians, Red Beans sounds at times like a mainstream soul album; “Sweet Love” even features a mixed-chorus vocal.

But Jimmy brings the funk with his classic organ work on “Big Booty Bounce,” while on the dreamy, late-night “Space Cadet” he lays out a mellow groove on good old-fashioned acoustic piano.

Jimmy McGriff: ‘Space Cadet’ (1976)

8-track notes: Because they have so few songs, the Smith and McGriff albums have a couple broken tracks each, but it’s unobtrusive. You can see in the picture that all four tapes have different shell types, indicating that they were all farmed out to different duping plants by parent label Pickwick International (also home to Kool and the Gang’s label De-Lite). My copy of the Smith tape has an unusual duping anomaly: at the end of each program, the start repeats briefly at very high speed, sounding like something from an early Zappa/Mothers album. Like Ad-Rock, I suggest you grab anything you find from Groove Merchant, in any city and in any format.

* The Beastie Boys were also fans of a different Groove Merchant, a San Francisco record shop they’d namechecked on their song “Professor Booty.” At 4:21 in this clip shot at Groove Merchant (the store), Adam Yauch shows off a McGriff album on Groove Merchant (the label).

Beastie Boys At Groove Merchant Records, San Francisco

You can read last week’s installment here: Cart Shopping In Los Angeles!

Join us for more of Andrew Tonkin’s 8-Trackin’ next Thursday!

Playback!: Mandrill, ‘Mandrill’ (Live, 1971)

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Latin-tinged funk act Mandrill formed in Brooklyn, New York in the late sixties and released their first LP in 1970. The band features a trio of Panama-born brothers; Carlos, Ric, and Lou Wilson.

Below, you’ll find a rare clip of the band performing the tune “Mandrill” live on what appears to be local New York TV in ’71. A single of the “Mandrill” tune cracked the US Hot 100 at #94. (Skip to :55 in the video if you’d like to get right to the music.)

Mandrill: ‘Mandrill’ (Live, 1971)

Previously on Playback!: Smokie, ‘It’s Your Life’ (1977)

Vintage Ads (Look & Listen): Boomtown Rats, ‘A Tonic For The Troops’ (1979)

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The Boomtown Rats, ‘A Tonic For The Troops’ (‘Record World’ magazine, February 10, 1979).

The Boomtown Rats released their second LP, A Tonic For The Troops, in the summer of 1978. The record featured three Top 20 singles; “She’s So Modern” (UK #12), “Like Clockwork” (UK #6), and “Rat Trap” (UK #1).

Below you’ll find The Boomtown Rats performing “Rat Trap” on The Kenny Everett Video Show in ’78.

The Boomtown Rats: ‘Rat Trap’ (1978)

Previously on Vintage Ads: Nazareth, ‘No Mean City’ (1979)

8-Trackin’: Cart Shopping In Los Angeles!

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CART SHOPPING IN LOS ANGELES!

During a family trip to LA last weekend, I sneaked out to a few stores in search of 8-tracks. Here’s what I found!

Amoeba Music: First stop after hitting town on Thursday. I was pretty stoked to revisit this massive used/new record shop, which I’d shopped dozens of times as an LA resident — but had never dug for tapes before. (I actually hit Amoeba three times, so this is a composite.)

Seven boxes of killer tapes — and one dude digging through them. Guess I’m not the only 8-track fan in LA right now!

Each box held a mix of loose, lower-priced tapes ($5 and under) alongside higher-value ones ($8-25) in theft-proof plastic “trappers.” I wound up grabbing about fifteen carts total.

After much soul-searching, I finally picked up this spendy Ramones tape, using store credit from all the trade vinyl I’d brought with me.

Ramones: ‘I Want You Around’ (‘Rock and Roll High School,’ 1979)

The splendid Rock ‘n’ Roll High School OST (1979) mixes Ramones cuts with other punk and hard-rock gems. The 8-track keeps the band’s live medley intact with no breaks. Gabba gabba hey!

Freakbeat Records: On Friday I rode the bus to Burbank to visit buddy Steve Woolard, then took another long bus ride to Sherman Oaks and walked to Ventura Blvd. Old standby Freakbeat came through with a small stack of worthwhile tapes, including an Eldridge Cleaver 8-track (you don’t see a lot of THOSE).

Counterpoint Records & Books: I headed back to Hollywood and this bustling block of Franklin Avenue, home to a vintage media store where I’d shopped for thirty years — but never for 8-tracks.

Can you see the 8-tracks hiding in that very tippy-top shelf? Not unless you’re a giraffe. Had to use a rickety wooden stepladder to get up there, legs already wobbly from all the walking I’d done.

Sure enough, 8-tracks — really good ones that had been sitting there for years, according to the price tags.

Here’s the stash I pulled down. As with elsewhere in LA, a great selection of jazz-funk, including titles on CTI and Groove Merchant.

The Troogs: ‘Good Vibrations’ (1975)

Grabbed the Troggs’ self-titled (1975) album with deranged takes on old rock and roll classics, including this weird “homage” to the Beach Boys.

The Counterpoint dig left me with really dirty digits — gotta love those dusty, untouched gems.

Back in the hotel room, relaxed with new old music on my LearJet Tiny 8 player and my favorite cheap IPA from Trader Joe’s.

‘Young Frankenstein’ Composed by John Morris (1974)

Found that the Young Frankenstein soundtrack (1974) includes more comedy dialogue than expected. But it’s all funny, and the authentic retro score is great.

I did quite a few fixes in the room with the mini-repair kit I’d brought, so was able to enjoy a few new tapes without any splice breaks.

Last Bookstore: On Saturday I took the subway downtown to check out a couple fine beer spots (Modern Times, Mumford). This store’s amazing vinyl section didn’t have any 8-tracks, but they’d converted this old receiver/deck into a lovely planter. (Guessing it no longer plays tapes.)

The clear 4-track cartridge adds mucho class to this 8-track flowerpot.

Pasadena City College Flea Market: In years past, my pal Mark Kadlec and I made a monthly ritual of the PCC swap, so we relived our former glories this Sunday. Though rain had chased away the outdoor vendors, there were plenty more inside the parking garage, including numerous sellers in the Record Show section.

PCC / Zoinks Records: This tiny store in Pomona brings its goods to PCC every month, including the red box of 8-tracks seen here. I grabbed Traffic and Herbie Hancock carts for quite cheap.

PCC / As The Record Turns: Kevin here runs a Hollywood Blvd. record shop and brought his 8-tracks to the swap for me. I grabbed the Shakti, Ramsey Lewis, and Archie Bell and the Drells tapes he’s holding.

John Mclaughlin: ‘Natural Elements’ (1977)

Natural Elements from guitarist John McLaughlin’s band Shakti mixes jazz, prog, and acoustic (think Penguin Café Orchestra or David Grisman).

Apart from Kevin and Zoinks, these are the ONLY other 8-tracks I saw at the Pasadena swap: a miserable set of Elvis and Ed Ames tapes. Ruh-roh!

Record Surplus: After PCC, Mark kindly drove out to West LA to hit this favorite stop of ours (they sell old 78 rpm records, so he was happy).

Nice to see the 8-tracks so proudly displayed next to other outdated media. Most of the black tapes were sealed United Artists soundtracks.

Rare stuff and good prices! Thrilled to find those lounge soundtracks from John Barry and Burt Bacharach.

Jimmy McGriff: ‘The Mean Machine’ (1976)

Organist Jimmy McGriff’s Mean Machine (1976) sounds like a lost Blaxploitation soundtrack. Label Groove Merchant always puts the funk into jazz-funk.

At Record Surplus’ entrance is the budget-priced “Attic,” where I found even more 8-tracks.

Back in the room, I checked out my cheap Attic tapes while watching the LA Rams lose miserably in the Super Bowl. Oh well, my LA 8-track game scored mightily!

You can read last week’s installment here: The Beatles: ‘Live! At The Star-Club, 1962’ (1977)

Join us for more of Andrew Tonkin’s 8-Trackin’ next Thursday!

Vintage Ads (Look & Listen): Nazareth, ‘No Mean City’ (1979)

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Nazareth, ‘No Mean City’ (‘Record World’ magazine, February 10, 1979)

Forty years ago, Nazareth’s tenth studio LP No Mean City rolled into shops at the top of 1979.

The record was produced by the group’s Manny Charlton and featured the singles; “Star,” “Whatever You Want Babe,” and “May The Sunshine” – which you’ll find queued up below.

Nazareth: ‘May The Sunshine’ (‘Top Of The Pops,’ 1979)

Previously on Vintage Ads: Duke Ellington & Chicago, ‘We Love You Madly’ (1973)

More Nazareth: Playback!: Nazareth, ‘Love Hurts’ (1974)