Category: Robin Wills’ Purepop

Clutch –Black Angel

Clutch –Black Angel/ The Frighteners –EMI 2016 (1973 UK)

Black Angel is a 3 chord Boogie/Glam Cruncher with some neat revved –up Motorbike effects and Kim Fowley type grunts. The tune doesn’t really go anywhere, but you have got to dig those bike sounds… The B side is a pretty good up-tempo rocker. I couldn’t find any info on these guys, perhaps a one-off??

Go to https://www397.pair.com/lfsuarez/purepop/Clutch%20Black%20Angel.mp3 for a soundclip (There seems to be a problem with links on Blogspot at the moment)

Amsterdam –Mary Lou

Amsterdam –Mary Lou/ Best Friend –Pink Elephant 22.841 (1974 NL)

Amsterdam were members of the feared Ajax Inter-City Firm and they were always at the forefront when it came to bashing in Feyenoord skulls. They eventually rose beyond their violent notoriety when they started to bring their instruments to play for their mates on the football specials and somehow got themselves signed to the Pink Elephant label –They were even filmed for TV on a train performing this very same song!!!

….In fact Amsterdam were in fact a bunch of namby- pamby hippie popsters (Indian Pipe), but they did appear on Van Oekel’s Discohoek performing this track in a studio train carriage…In any case Mary Lou is another fine example of period Boogie/Glam – nice and crunchy with a blistering lead break.

Click on title for soundclip

Marmalade –Our House Is Rockin’

Marmalade –Our House Is Rockin’/Hallelujah Freedom Blues –EMI 2071 (1973 UK)

Surprisingly heavy later release by the Cousin Norman mob. Both tunes are prime juicy cuts of Para Glam Boogie quite close to Hustler, Canyon, Geordie, Albatross etc…Marmalade had a pretty long career across several labels and some of their early singles and first album on CBS are definitely worth seeking out as they contained some great Psych/Pop (with 2 bass players!)

Click on title for edits of Our House Is Rockin’ and Hallelujah Freedom Blues

Horizontal –Jennifer Generator

Horizontal –Jennifer Generator/ The Last Time –RCA 2140 (1972 UK)

I picked this one up on the strength of the title alone and it nearly lives up to expectation. I couldn’t find any information at all on this release, but Jennifer Generator is a late Bubblegum entry with a nice chord progression and lush harmonies. The use of a Fender Rhodes also adds an unexpected touch. The B side ups the tempo and has more than a hint of Buddy Holly/ Bobby Fuller as if channeled through Kasenetz/ Katz

Click on title for edits of Jennifer Generator and The Last Time

Me And Him –For The Sake Of The Show

Me And Him –For The Sake Of The Show/The Loving Arc –Dawn DNS 1108 (1975 UK)

Me And Him try their damn hardest to be The Beatles here, but end up sounding more like The Rutles on this fine vaudevillian Baroque Pop number. The orchestration and repetitive leitmotiv render the tune instantly hummable and the overall effect is a pure charm offensive. I don’t know who these guys were, but they released at least one further single Waiting Here on Dawn (DNS 1121) in1975.

Click on title for a soundclip of For The Sake Of The Show

Bubbles –This Is Where The Hurdie Gurdie Heebie Geebie Greenie Meenie Man Came In

Bubbles –This Is Where The Hurdie Gurdie Heebie Geebie Greenie Meenie Man Came In/Zap N’ Cat –Decca Y-10832 (1975 Aussie issue)

Finally got my mitts on this great 2-sider. David has already reviewed this on his 784533 site (https://784533.co.uk) and I can only second his opinion. Some may find the A side too quirky, but for me this is the essence of pure Bubbleglam and every bit as wonderful as its title. From the Chicory Tip gurglings to the near sea shanty vocals, this is a real gem to be cherished and sung along to! Zap N’ Cat is an out and out Punker with a great cutting guitar sound, it also features a great lead and drum break. ENJOY!

Click on title for edits of HGHGGMM and Zap N’ Cat

Screemer – They’re On Bell Flexi (Interplanetary Twist)

Screemer – They’re On Bell-Lyntone –LYN 3534 (1976 UK)

This is a pretty naff flexi disc promoting Screemer’s Interplanetary Twist (Bell 1483). Anyhow it’s an opportunity to meet Adrian, Glen (is this 80’s plonker Zaine Griff?), Rob, Dave and Alan. The promotional effort didn’t work and Interplanetary Twist sank without a trace. This Phil Wainman production was also at least two years out of date, although it had a certain Rocky Horror edge; it didn’t get a chance to resonate with the public at the time. It seems that this same band had a later single on Arista (In The City), but is not to be confused with Screamer’s City Or Bust also on Arista that same year.

Click on title for the full Screemer flexi experience

Shake A Tail Suzy

Shake A Tail Suzy/ Meet Barry Sheene –Sound For Industry SF 144 (1973 UK)

Barry Blue meets Barry Sheene! This is a double sided promotional flexi disc for Suzuki that was issued in 1973 . Barry Blue produced and co-wrote Shake A Tail Suzy
under the pseudonym Barry Green. The A side is simply a different edit/mix of Big Wheel’s Shake A Tail (Bell 1310) that can also to be found on Velvet Tinmine, although this version predates it. There are more cycle noises, more suggestive purrs, plus other slight variants…The B side features an interview with Barry Sheene. It is yet to be confirmed if this is the same edit of the interview as the flexi that came with the February ’73 issue of Japanese Bikes Monthly.

I ‘ll post another “flexiâ€Â review in a couple of days.

Click on title for a full Shake A Tail Suzy