Sunday, December 23, 2007
Rockin Rebels S. Africa,Sylvia,Ray/Len Johnson
There are a few artists that I need to collect every recording known to man, and then some, until I will be happy. OK, happier. Shown is what I think is the only South African record that is in my collection, and this happens to be the Rockin Rebels. Issued on the "His Masters Voice" label, there is no mention of RCA whatsoever. I am certainly not an expert on which American records were pressed in that country, but Bob Matthews of Mickey Hawks and the Night Riders told me that he was under the impression that Bip Bop Boom was issued on that continent. I doubt that I will get too far into collecting records from South Africa, but it seems OK to do it when trying to complete an artist's output. Now, I wonder if it was ever released in South Africa as just the Rebels?
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I understand some of the reasons that record companies issued multiple flip sides to their records, For me, I first think of the Chords with Sh Boom, and the original flip of Cross Over The Bridge. Though the story is long, the short version is that the Cat label (Atlantic) had a strong flip side - maybe too strong - and replaced it with the forgettable Little Maiden. It certainly left the DJ's with an easy choice of what side to spin on the air. With the Jubilee recordings of Little Sylvia, it seems they could not make up their mind on what to plug and have the DJ's play. Drive Daddy Drive had two flips. I Went To Your Wedding, is the most common. I Found Somebody To Love is the tougher issue, and although it appears to the second issue, except there is not enough information to prove it. Her follow-up was called A Million Tears backed with Don't Blame My Heart. Though I have not seen it yet, it was also issued with the previously mentioned I Found Somebody To Love. That side is a very strong, uptempo rocker, and could have easily competed with either "A" side. On my Mickey And Sylvia page, you can see some of the early Sylvia only sides, and I should have the I Found Somebody To Love side loaded in a couple of days.
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I am a big fan of Ray Johnson, and his earlier works from the 50's. My collection is not complete enough to create a page, but I am always on the lookout for items I don't have. I was intrigued by a record I bought that was listed as by Len Johnson and the Hi Liters on the Hollywood based "Vended" label. It is a soul sound on the plug side with "Nobody But You". The flip, Duck With The Wolfman, is an instrumental that is heavy on the horn section. Unless it is an amazing coincidence, I suspect it could be Ray's son or a relative. Rockin Records lists it as 1961, but it sure sounds later than that. There is also another release shown in that guide, of "Sweet Thing" on Ray Co from 1963.
.
I understand some of the reasons that record companies issued multiple flip sides to their records, For me, I first think of the Chords with Sh Boom, and the original flip of Cross Over The Bridge. Though the story is long, the short version is that the Cat label (Atlantic) had a strong flip side - maybe too strong - and replaced it with the forgettable Little Maiden. It certainly left the DJ's with an easy choice of what side to spin on the air. With the Jubilee recordings of Little Sylvia, it seems they could not make up their mind on what to plug and have the DJ's play. Drive Daddy Drive had two flips. I Went To Your Wedding, is the most common. I Found Somebody To Love is the tougher issue, and although it appears to the second issue, except there is not enough information to prove it. Her follow-up was called A Million Tears backed with Don't Blame My Heart. Though I have not seen it yet, it was also issued with the previously mentioned I Found Somebody To Love. That side is a very strong, uptempo rocker, and could have easily competed with either "A" side. On my Mickey And Sylvia page, you can see some of the early Sylvia only sides, and I should have the I Found Somebody To Love side loaded in a couple of days.
.
I am a big fan of Ray Johnson, and his earlier works from the 50's. My collection is not complete enough to create a page, but I am always on the lookout for items I don't have. I was intrigued by a record I bought that was listed as by Len Johnson and the Hi Liters on the Hollywood based "Vended" label. It is a soul sound on the plug side with "Nobody But You". The flip, Duck With The Wolfman, is an instrumental that is heavy on the horn section. Unless it is an amazing coincidence, I suspect it could be Ray's son or a relative. Rockin Records lists it as 1961, but it sure sounds later than that. There is also another release shown in that guide, of "Sweet Thing" on Ray Co from 1963.
