MAL GREY & FLIGHT 56 - Look Out For Love / Ballroom Queen (Arista 1975) An interesting single with a great sound featuring Mal Gray, frontman of the British rock 'n' roll group The Wild Angels, who joined Flight 56 for a couple of tours at the end of 1974, releasing only this single and leaving the band some months later. UK issue, produced by Pete Cage.
MOYO - Hitparade / Engine Driver (Negram 1975) Realeased on Hans Kellerman's Negram records, "Hitparade" is a pure T.Rex meets Chicory Tip and sounds like a Tony Atkins/Gerry Morris production. I'm not sure, but by the name on the label I suppose they were a Dutch band. Listen to both sides below...
GREG ROBBINS - Virginia Creeper / Shyzak (President 1973) This lone release on President records testifies to the short career of this unknown British artist. However, his self-composed "Virginia Creeper", is a sublime and eccentric track that features garage, powerpop and punk elements. Produced by Ed Kassner, UK issue.
JIMMI JUKEBOX - Motor Boat / 25 Hours a Day (Chattahoochee 1973) Finally I found a copy! Jimmy Jukebox was nothing but one of the many Kim Fowley solo recording projects. Under this pseudonym he only released this superb single co-produced by himself and Michael Lloyd. Both sides are highly enjoyable...
NOW - I Wanna Be Free / People Are Standing (President 1973) Here's another obscure British gem. "I Wanna Be Free" is a pure glam/psych number with catchy synth and a good dose of handclaps. Produced by David Kassner, German issue.
HAMMERHEAD - Summer Nites / Jewels (GNP Crescendo 1975) Hammerhead was a Los Angeles, California band formed in 1974 which released only one great single co-written with and produced by the ubiquitous Kim Fowley. Here’s what the guitarist Jeff Austin Addison, also founder of the band, wrote to me about the Hammerhead: "Hammerhead, who played nearly every club in L.A. for years without a break, was a power trio plus an electric violin player and a lead singer, playing mostly originals and some covers. In 1975 I wrote "Summer Nights" with Kim Fowley, our producer. Hammerhead signed with Crescendo Records. The record played on KLOS frequently and across the U.S.A. We received good reviews from our Starwood gigs in the L.A. Times newspaper. However, the drummer flaked. It's too bad when good bands break up due to an ego problem. When we played Gazzarris' on the Sunset Strip, sometimes during the song I would run out the front door of the club with my wireless connection to my guitar and play my lead in the middle of traffic in Sunset Blvd. The people cheered - they loved it. Then I ran back through the dancers up to the stage in time to start the next verse. That's a show!" THANKS TO JEFF AUSTIN ADDISON
C. STAR - Bad Boy / Alex (Jam 1973) I couldn't find any information about this band, but "Bad Boy" is a groovy late psych, glam-oriented number with female vocals and loud fuzzed-up guitar. UK pressing, produced by R. Stoller and R. Star for Rhett Productions.
BULLET - Hobo / Sinister Minister (Purple 1972) After they left Atomic Rooster in 1971 due to disagreements about the band's increasingly bluesy direction, John Du Cann and Paul Hammond, together with vocalist Al Shaw and John Gustafson, released this heavy proto-punk single under the name Bullet, the first release on Deep Purple's Purple Records label. Following this released they changed their name to Hard Stuff, leaning more heavily on aggressive guitar work. French issue, produced by Bullet.
MAYFLY - Johnny / From Now On (Ariola1974) This nice glam/powerpop tune was the last work of Mayfly, a band formed in Bergen, Holland, which released five single and one LP between 1970 and 1975. Produced by Martin Duiser, Dutch issue.
STEPHEN – Right On Running Man / Epitaph (Antic 1974) Belgian and UK pressing of this astonishing single by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and his wife Stevie Vann. Born in Zambia in 1948, Robert J. Lange is better known as the producer of bands such as AC/DC, Boomtown Rats, Def Leppard and many others. The superb “Right On Running Man” was written and produced by himself. Here we go…
