Bear Family-Rock serie Archives - the rockabilly chronicle

Mac Curtis

Published on 1 November 20231 November 2023

Reissues

Mac Curtis – Rocks

Bear Family BCD 17719 [2023]
Wake Up Rock’n Roll Rock-A-Baby – Real God Itch – What You Want – Goosebumps – Hard Hearted Girl – Little Miss Linda – That’s How Much I Love You – Sidething – Don’t You Love Me – That Ain’t Nothing But Right – Half Hearted Love – You Ain’t Treatin’ Me Right – If I Had Me a Woman – Say So – Just So You Call Me – Grandaddy’s Rockin’ – You Oughta See Grandma Rock – Party Line – Rockin’ Mother – No – Good Rockin’ Tomorrow – For Your Love – Missy Ann – You Are My Very Special Baby – The Low Road – How Long Will It Take – Good Love, Sweet Love – Been Gone a Long Time – Hey Hey Little Lady – Show Me the Money – Little Mama Have Mercy – John Lewis – Flat Top Cat (dedicated to Mac Curtis)

I can’t imagine anyone seriously interested in Rockabilly not knowing the name of Mac Curtis and how great he was. But, since the genre is still alive and well and the scene is generating new fans, it’s a mighty good idea from the venerable German label to add Mac Curtis to his flawless “Rocks” series.
The very fact of introducing the genius of Mac Curtis to a new generation would justify the existence of this compilation. But its interest goes beyond that. This collection brings together almost all the King sides (perhaps missing one or two tracks but of lesser importance). Still, it goes beyond the 50s to add recordings from different periods of his career, including the sides recorded for Rockin’ Ronny Weiser on Rollin’ Rock in the early 70s, as well as three tracks from his album released in 1998 on Vinyl Japan/Jappin’n’Rockin on which the excellent Rimshots accompanied him.

Whatever the era, Curtis remains a master of Rockabilly. His King sides are flawless and should be studied by all aspiring singers and songwriters interested in this type of music. Very few before or after him achieved this perfect balance between his rich and warm voice, the hiccups typical of Rockabilly and stripped-down instrumentation, including at times a huge double bass sound. It’s very well done on the part of Bear Family to have kept in its selection the dark and sinister The Low Road, one of Curtis’s peaks.
After working as a DJ and recording country-inspired albums (see the recent reissue on Bluelight), Mac Curtis returned to his Rockabilly roots in the early 1970s under the leadership of Ronny Weiser. The songs recorded for Rollin Rock are wilder and rawer in terms of sound but perfectly capture the energy and urgency of this music. They perfectly complement the King’s sides.
Finally, the three tunes recorded with the Rimshots conclude this selection in style. Curtis is in great form, and the Rimshots were one of the best bands on the scene at the time. As a bonus, you have a song written and performed by John Lewis of the Rimshots as a tribute to the singer.
Very intelligently, the songs are not presented in chronological order, which allows you to navigate between periods and eras while being constantly surprised.
As usual, the label has done things well, and a copious and complete booklet accompanies the disc.
If you are new to the work of Mac Curtis, this compilation is exactly what you need. If you already know him, it may also interest you because you may very well discover some gems there.

Available here.

Mac Curtis – Early In The Morning/Nashville Marimba Band

Bluelight Records – BLR 33224 2
Early In The Morning – Big Boss Man – Ain’t That A Shame – Blues Man – Baby What You Want Me To Do – Maybelline – Gulf Stream Line – Stagger Lee – I’d Run A Mile – I Got A Woman – When The Hurt Moves In – Him Or Me (What’s It Gonna Be) – Running Bear – I Fall To Pieces – Gentle On My Mind – For The Good Times – Orange Blossom Special – Spanish Eyes – Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town – Careless Hands – Help Me Make It Through The Night – Devil’s Dream – Pistol Packin’ Mama – She Knows All The Good Ways To Be Bad

In 1970 Mac Curtis recorded Early in the Morning, an album on which he revisited songs from the fifties with a Country edge. The songs came from the catalogues of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Jerry Reed, Ray Charles, Lloyd Price, etc., with a couple of originals thrown in for good measure.
The repertoire ranged from the bluesy, albeit with steel guitar, Baby What You Want Me to Do, to the Country shuffle of When The Hurts Moves In, which would be perfect for Dale Watson, with a bit of Swamp Rock in between with Gulfstream Line. The majority of the remaining songs are on a thin line between country and Rock’n’roll, and the result is close to what Carl Perkins recorded during the same period.
The musicianship is excellent throughout, but that’s not a surprise with musicians like Tommy Allsup and Leon Rhodes on guitars, Charlie McCoy on harmonica, DJ Fontana on drums, and Curtis’s deep and rich voice beautifully serves the whole album.
The following year, Mac Curtis returned to the studio to record Mac Curtis’ Nashville Marimba band in one day. This is a surprising album, to say the least. Still, with a crew of first-rate musicians, Curtis revisits a set of Country classics in instrumental versions done in an exotica/easy-listening mood. However, it features some sparkling moments on guitar and hot fiddle parts from Johnny Gimble. It’s the kind of album you’re happy to own and play to your friends to see their reaction. You really have to hear their version of Gentle On My Mind to believe it.
Two excellent Country numbers with a Rockabilly feel, recorded in 1974, rounds up the set.
All in all, you have one excellent album, a curiosity and two hot bonus tracks. That’s more than enough to make you jump on this reissue.

mac-curtis-rollinrock — Mac Curtis – the Rollin Rock Recordings 1

Mac Curtis – the Rollin Rock Recordings 1

Part records
Big D Women – Baby Let’s Play House – Heartbreakin’ Mama – Fannie Mae – Sidetrack Mama – Holdin’ On – Good Rockin’ Tonight – Amarillo Killer – Hot Rocks – Crazy Crazy Lovin’ – Wild Wild Women – You Hurt Me – Sexy Ways – Good Rockin’ Tomorrow – Wake Up Rock’n’roll Rock-A-Baby – Hard Hearted Girl – Party Line – Turn To Me – For Your Love – Rockabilly Uprising – Been Gone A Long Time – Juice Box – Gone Out Of My Mind – Wildcat Tamer – Let’s Go

Mac Curtis is a true Rockabilly legend and in my humble opinion he recorded some of the very best sides of the genre. In 1972 he got in touch with the no-less legendary Ronnie Weiser of Rollin’ Rock and Ray Campi (the full story is explained in the very informative booklet featuring notes by Mac Curtis himself) to make some new Rockabilly recordings.
The first album to result from those sessions was Ruffabilly on which he’s backed by Campi (dobro, guitar, bass), Steve Bailey (drums) and Jimmie Lee Maslon on harmonica for one track. This is superior Rockabilly music, especially if you replace it in the period (the 70’s) with powerful slap bass and at the time with the exception of Charlie Feathers very few could come closer to the real thing than Mac Curtis. The liner notes explain why there are three Johnny Carroll tunes on that album: Campi and Curtis believed that the singer had died and wanted to pay homage to him.
The second album included here is “Good Rockin’ Tomorrow” and is equally good with Campi playing all the instruments and Billy Zoom (X) guesting on saxophone. In all you have 25 recordings that are 25 little rockabilly gems that deserve to be in anyone’s collection. They also show the importance of Mac Curtis and Rollin Rock on the European scene in the 70’s from the Teddy Boys to the burgeoning psychobilly scene.

Eddie Cochran

Published on 30 April 202230 April 2022

Reissues

Eddie Cochran – Dark Lonely Street

Bear Family – BAF 14009 [2020]
Dark Lonely Street – One Kiss – Stockin’n’Shoes – Teresa – Pretty Girl – Summertime Blues / C’mon Everybody – I Remember – Teenage Heaven – Little Angel – My Way – Strollin’ Guitar
+ 28-track cd

Eddie Cochran had the whole package. He managed to do alone what Elvis did with the best songwriters, session musicians, sound engineers and producers. And he was like both characters of Cut Across Shorty: like Dan, he had the look, but like Shorty, he had something that can’t be found in books: class.
This beautiful 10”, released for the 60th anniversary of his death, pays tribute to his vast talent.
The twelve songs included on the vinyl demonstrate Cochran’s versatility. This young man, who passed away at 21, penned tunes that influenced countless musicians and singers, an influence that goes far beyond the strict rocking scene. His music contains the germs, in a complementary way with Buddy Holly, of all the sixties and even the premices of Punk Rock.
He was a top songwriter (Summertime Blues), a musician’s musician (as shown by the instrumental version of My Way) and a singer that could be mean or poignant (Teresa, One Kiss, Dark lonely Street). And, of course, he was a rocker (Teenage Heaven).
The accompanying CD widens the scope with more Cochran songs like the premice of Heavy Rock that are Nervous Breakdown, and Something Else. One will also find the first version of C’mon Everybody, titled Let’s Get Together. There’s also a wild rendition of Chuck Berry’s Sweet Little Sixteen and an interview.
You’ll also find Cochran guesting on Troyce Key’s Baby Please Don’t Go, a blues tune, the superb Rockabilly tune Guitar Picker sung by Bob Luman and Baker Knight’s Just Relax.
The CD concludes with Heinz’s Just Like Eddie, produced by Joe Meek. If not great, it’s a sincere tribute to an immense artist.
It features a beautiful and richly illustrated booklet.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Cochran Brothers – Latch On with The Cochran Brothers

ALP 10502 RV
Side 1: Mr. Fiddle – Two Blue Singin’ Stars – Your Tomorrow Never Comes – Guilty Conscience – Latch On (Version 1)
Side 2: Latch On (Version 2) – Tired And Sleepy –Fool’s Paradise – Slow Down – Open The Door

If you’re a fan of Eddie Cochran you probably already own this sides. They are available on the superb Bear family box set released a couple of years ago or on the Rockstar CD titled “Mighty Mean”. But this limited ten 10 inch records that comes in a gatefold sleeve is a superb object that is sure to make you want to buy it even if you

If you’re new to the music of Cochran and only know his big hits like Twenty Flight Rock, Something Else, Summertime Blues and so on, this album is the perfect introduction to Eddie’s early years as a country and rockabilly singer and the team he made with Hank Cochran (no relation) under the name of the Cochran Brothers.
Side one focuses on their country sides, with harmony vocals reminiscent of the “brothers group” of the era, with some occasional steel and fiddle. The success of Elvis Presley will have an impact on the duo and they will quickly start to record in a more rockin’ vein, as shown on side two. It’s easy to compare the two versions of Latch On to see the evolution of the band in a very short time.

Eddie Cochran – Eddie Rocks

Bear Family BCD 17136
Pink Peg Slacks – Blue Suede Shoes – Long Tall Sally – Twenty Flight Rock – Completely Sweet – Pink Peg Slacks – Mighty Mean – Skinny Jim – One Kiss – Mean When I’m Mad – Am I Blue – Twenty Flight Rock – Completely Sweet – Stockings And Shoes – Cradle Baby – Sweetie Pie – Pretty Girl – Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie – Teenage Cutie – Little Lou – Cruisin’ The Drive-In – Nervous Breakdown – Summertime Blues – Ah Pretty Girl – Nervous Breakdown – Let’s Get Together – Teenage Heaven – C’mon Everybody – My Way – Teenage Heaven – Weekend – Somethin’ Else – Jelly Bean – Don’t Bye Bye Baby Me – Cut Across Shorty
If someone would come to me asking “What is Rock’n’roll?”, the best answer I could give would be “Listen to Eddie rocks… on Bear Family”.Though I consider Bill Haley as the true father of Rock’n’roll, I believe that Eddie Cochran, who died at only 21 in 1960, inspired more musicians. Songs like Something Else, C’mon Everybody and Summertime Blues have been played one day or another by the Who, the Sex Pistols, T-Rex, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and many more. Only Chuck Berry can claim the same score.
This collection focuses on Eddie Cochran’s solo releases (no Cochran brothers here) and rockers only (no ballad, no instrumentals, no hillbilly). You won’t be disapointed and BearFamily being the perfectionnists we all know couldn’t help but include a rarity even on a “best-of” collection, namely the original version of Cut Across Shorty at the correct speed the song having been speeded up for its release.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Scotty McKay

Published on 17 January 202117 January 2021

Reissues

Scotty McKay – Rocks

Bear Family BCD 17519
Rollin’ Dynamite – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Baby Let’s Play House – The Girl Next Door – Bad Times (Acetate) – I’ve Got My Eyes On You – You’re So Square – I’ve Been Thinkin’ – Little Miss Blue – Be-Bop-A-Lula – Let It Rock – Evenin’ Time (Acetate) – Midnight Cryin’ Time – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Somebody Help Me – Don’t Wait (Key C) (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Oh Boy – Roberta – Rollin’ Danny (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: So Tough – Pull Down The Sky – Who Do You Love – All Around The World – Waikiki Beach – Cry Me A River (Acetate) – Little Lump Of Sugar – Sea Cruise – Tommy & The Tom Toms: You Can’t Catch Me – Dixie Doodle Dandy – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Jambalaya – Evenin’ Time – Scotty McKay Quintet: The Train Kept A Rollin’ – Don’t Wait (Key F) (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: It’s Too Late.

Scotty McKay – real name Max Lipscomb – first made a name by playing guitar and piano with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps during the December 1957 sessions that resulted with, among other gems, Baby Blue.
His tenure with Vincent was brief, and Lipscomb/McKay debuted a solo career. This compilation gathers sides recorded between 1959 and 1967. This period saw the music changing fast, and it’s not very surprising to find a wide array of styles performed by McKay and his different bands.
The connection with Gene Vincent remains strong with covers of Be Bop A Lula and Rollin Danny. But there’s also some sizzling Rockabilly with Baby Let’s Play House recorded under Tommy and The Tom Toms’ name. Next to these sides, one can find a bit of Rhythm’n’Blues (Roberta, Midnight Crying Time), and a fantastic soul-tinged number with mean guitar and harmonica (I’ve Got My Eyes On You.) McKay proves to be a more than competent singer on the more tuneful sides whether he shows inspiration from Elvis (The Girl Next Door) or Ricky Nelson (You’re So Square.) But he excels when he sings frantic rockers like Bad Times, Evenin’ Time, and of course Rollin’ Dynamite. Highly recommended to is All Around the World, a garage/psychedelic influenced version of Titus Turner’s tune and an amazing garage version, inspired by the Yardbirds of The Train Kept A Rollin.

Link Wray

Published on 23 December 20193 February 2020

Reissues

Link Wray – Rocks

Bear Family – BCD17600
Raw-Hide – Batman Theme – Tijuana – Slinky – Right Turn – I’m Countin’ On You* – I’m Branded – Hand Clapper – The Swag – Comanche – Deuces Wild – El Toro – Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby – Studio Blues – Hang On – Jack The Ripper – Turnpike USA – The Black Widow – Big City After Dark* – Danger One Way Love* – Dance Contest – Run Chicken, Run – Pancho Villa – Radar – Mary Ann – The Outlaw – Hold It* – Dinosaur – Big City Stomp – The Shadow Knows – Dixie Doodle – Ace Of Spades – Mr. Guitar – Rumble
*Ray Vernon

While the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame continues to ignore Link Wray, the Shawnee guitar player receives the Bear Family treatment with a 35 tracks compilation album in the “Rock” series. All things considered, he’s in a better company on the German label than with the likes of Madonna, Pink Floyd, Donna Summer, and al.
I hope Link Wray needs no introduction. His simple, straight-in-your-face and powerful guitar style influenced countless guitar players, from The Who’s Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page to Eddie Angel, Billy Childish, and Poison Ivy.
There have been quite a few Wray’s compilation albums on the market, but none as good nor as this one. And the fact that Bear managed to license sides from more labels than its competitors makes it one of the most complete too. Between Rawhide, the opening track, and Rumble the last one, and next to hits like Run Chicken Run and Jack The Ripper, you’ll find a whole panorama of Wray’s recordings between 1958 and 1965, including some lesser-known tune but by no means, songs one could consider as fillers. Among the rare tracks are songs recorded by Link’s brother under his name (Ray Vernon) and two numbers sung by Link Wray’s himself (Mary Ann and Ain’t That Loving You Baby.)
As usual with Bear Family, it comes with a thick booklet, including a story by Bill Dahl, rare photographies, and a discography.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Ricky Nelson

Published on 31 August 201927 September 2019

Reissues

Ricky Nelson – Ricky rocks

Bear Family BCD 16856
Shirley Lee ~ Stood Up ~ Be-Bop Baby ~ If You Can’t Rock Me ~ Waitin’ In School ~ Your True Love ~ Boppin’ The Blues ~ My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It ~ Baby I’m Sorry ~ Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On ~ Am I Blue ~ Believe What You Say ~ There’s Good Rockin Tonight ~ Down The Line ~ I’m Walkin’ ~ My Babe ~ I’m In Love Again ~ There Goes My Baby ~ I Got A Feeling ~ One Of These Mornings ~ You Tear Me Up ~ It’s Late ~ Hey Pretty Baby ~ Don’t Leave Me ~ Just A Little Too Much ~ You’ll Never Know What You’re Missing ~ Mighty Good ~ Milk Cow Blues ~ Stop Sneakin’ Around ~ I’ve Been Thinkin’ ~ Ain’t Nothin’ But Love ~ Travelin’ Man ~ Hello Mary Lou.
With his angel face and soft voice Ricky Nelson has been too hastily pigeonholed as a Teenage Idol. But Ricky, who was a huge fan of Carl Perkins, had a guenine love for Rockabilly. With the help of songwriters like the Burnette brothers and guitar aces like Joe Maphis and the young but talented James Burton he cut a serie of solid rockabilly numbers – maybe on the soft side (sure he wasn’t Charlie Feathers) but none the less Rockabilly. If you only know him from the movie Rio Bravo, the song Teenage idol, the later Garden Party or the country sides from the second part of his career this cd is the occasion to discover the rockin’ side of Ricky Nelson (and I bet that pretty soon you’ll buy the boxed sets).

https://www.bear-family.fr/nelson-ricky-ricky-nelson-ricky-rocks.html

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Bill Haley

Published on 21 August 201927 September 2019

Reissues

Bill Haley & His Comets – The Decca Years and More

Bear Family BCD 15506
CD 1: Rock Around the Clock, Thirteen Women, Shake Rattle and Roll, ABC Boogie, Happy Baby, Dim Dim the Lights, Birth of the Boogie, Mambo Rock, Two Hound Dogs, Razzle Dazzle, ROCK, Rock-a-Beatin’ Boogie, The Saint’s Rock and Roll, Burn That Candle, See You Later Alligator, The Paper Boy, Goofin’ Around, Rudy’s Rock, Hide and Seek (vocal by Billy Williamson), Hey Then There Now (vocal by the Comets Trio), Tonight’s The Night (vocal by the Comets Trio), Hook Line and Sinker, Blue Comet Blues (aka. Blue Home Blues), Calling All Comets, Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie, A Rockin’ Little Tune, Hot Dog Buddy Buddy, Rockin’ Thru the Rye.

CD 2: Don’t Knock the Rock (without overdub), Teenager’s Mother, Rip it Up, Don’t Knock the Rock, Forty Cups of Coffee, Miss You, Billy Goat, Rockin’ Rollin’ Rover, Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone, You Can’t Stop Me From Dreaming, I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, Rock Lomond, Is it True What They Say About Dixie?, Carolina in the Morning, The Dipsy Doodle, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Beak Speaks, Moon Over Miami, One Sweet Letter From You, In Apple Blossom Time, Somebody Else is Taking My Place, How Many?, Move it On Over, Rock the Joint, Rip it Up (without handclaps).

CD 3: Me Rock-a-Hula, Rockin’ Rita, Jamaica DJ (vocal by Williamson), Piccadilly Rock, Pretty Alouette, Rockin’ Rollin’ Schnitzlebank, Rockin’ Matilda, Vive le Rock and Roll, It’s a Sin, Mary Mary Lou, El Rocko, Come Rock With Me, Oriental Rock, Wooden Shoe Rock, The Walkin’ Beat, Skinny Minnie, Sway With Me, Lean Jean, Don’t Nobody Move, Joey’s Song (stereo), Chiquita Linda, Dinah, Ida Sweet as Apple Cider, Whoa Mabel!, Marie, Eloise, Corrine Corrina (without handclaps), Joey’s Song (mono).

CD 4: Corrine Corrina, B.B. Betty (vocal by Williamson), Sweet Sue Just You, Charmaine, Vive le Rock and Roll (vocal by Bill Haley and Catarina Valente), Hot Dog Buddy Buddy, The Dragon Rock, ABC Rock (vocal by Williamson and Franny Beecher), The Catwalk, I Got a Woman, A Fool Such as I, Be By Me, Where Did You Go Last Night?, Caldonia, Shaky, Ooh Look-a There Ain’t She Pretty?, Summer Souvenir, Puerto Rican Peddlar, Music Music Music, Skokiaan, Drowsy Waters, Two Shadows, In a Little Spanish Town, Strictly Instrumental, Mack the Knife, The Green Door, Yeah She’s Evil, Football Rock and Roll, Six Year Olds Can Rock and Roll.

CD 5: Behind-the scenes studio recordings from 1959, featuring incomplete and alternate takes of : The Dragon Rock, ABC Rock (vocal by Williamson), The Catwalk, I Got a Woman, A Fool Such as I, Be By Me, Where Did You Go Last Night?

On April 12 1954 when Bill Haley and his Comets entered the studio to cut their first single for Decca their new label under the direction of Milt Gabler (who previously worked with notorious jazz musicians like Billie Holiday). Little did they know that the little tune recorded in a hurry at the end of the session would change the face of the popular music. This five cd boxed set gathers all the sides recorded for Decca between 1954 and 1959 (with some extras) and proves – if needed – that Haley was far more than a one-song-man.
The songs are presented chronologically with the exception of cd 1 that opens with “Rock Around The Clock” rather than “Thirteen Women“.
Haley’s most well known songs are on this first platter. After a few sessions new Comets (Franny Beecher, Al Rex, Rudy Pompilli, Ralph Jones) replace Dick Richards, Joey D’Ambrosio and Marshall Lytle who left after a financial disagrement to form the Jodimars. But it would be a mistake to believe that Haley had little consideration for his musicians. He takes every chances he can to put them in the spotlight as shown on the second half of this cd. Billy Williamson, steel guitarist and Haley’s partner takes the lead vocals on Big Joe Turner’s Hide & Seek (he used to sing Big Joe’s Feelin’ Happy on stage too). He is joined by Beecher and Grande too for the Comets trio on Tonight The Night and Hey There, Hey Now.
A couple of instrumentals are thrown in allowing Beecher (“Goofin’ Around“) and Pompili (Rudy’s Rock“) to show their skills. Grande is not forgotten and get his own one with “A Rockin’ Little Tune” (who said you couldn’t rock with an accordion?).
All the hits are on this cd and by the time you reach the last song Haley’s commercial success (with a few exceptions) is over, and this cd alone would be enough for the casual listener.

When cd2 two opens, the Comets haven’t charted for a while and the band is looking for a hit or a second breath. With “Don’t Knock The Rock” and “Teenager’s Mother” Haley takes the defense of Rock music. If not masterpieces, these are good songs and I don’t really understand why Colin Escott has a real go at this songs in his notes. “You Hit The Wrong Note Billy Goat” clearly tries to reproduce the success “See You Later Alligator” but the songs is far from being as good as Bobby Charles’.
Next are the sessions that gave the “Rockin’ the oldies” album. Maybe the constant touring didn’t allow them to write original material and led to the decision to make an all cover of Tin Pan Alley material. Whatever the reason, the result is not really convincing. It’s not the fault of the band but more to the songs that were not suitable to be turned into rock’n’roll. For example “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” features a superb bluesy guitar solo from Beecher and Al Rex plays some of his best bass part here.
But the band is in a dead end, trying to apply a formlula instead of exploring new creative ways. Logically this recordings didn’t chart and the following session (July 1957) finds Haley trying at last new things, even if it marks a return to his country roots. “How Many” is a very good country-pop ditty that had everything to chart (but didn’t), and their cover of”Move It On Over” was excellent as is their remake of “Rock The Joint“.

Cd3 features another concept album: “Rockin’ Around The World” (Rocking Tunes representative of 12 different and exciting parts of the world to quote the ad). For this session the band is joined by Rusty Keefer on second guitar which brings a little excitement to a very poor material. You can’t even blame songs that would be hard to transform into rock material as most of them are originals. Even for die hard fans there’s not much to save here except “Vive Le Rock’n’Roll“, “Roch Lomond” and maybe another one or two.
The worst enemy of Haley was maybe his will to make Rock’n’roll music acceptable by the whole family. While Elvis, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis were playing with the parents vs teenagers conflict. Haley in trying to please everyone, didn’t please anyone and despite good musicianship there were not much to please teenagers in “Pretty Alouette” and “Rockin’ Rollin’ Schnitzlebank“.
Things get better with the following session (February 1958). The band now featuring an electric bass delivers an instant classic with the Bo Diddley-esque Skinny Minnie and the lesser known follow-up Lean Jean. The sound is dirty and mean and Haley’s voice shows an agressivity rarely heard. In comparison Sway With Me sounds weak.
After a single for the instrumental market (Joey’s Song / Chiquita Linda) the Comets return to their trademark sound with another concept album based upon, girls’ first names. This is by far the best of the three. It’s not 100% successful but the band seems fresh again, inspired (Pompilli cuts some of his best solo on “Woah Mabel” and plays clarinet on “Ida”) and rocking. This is the first time in ages that Haley’s voice has sounded that good and the arrangements are very tight(especially on “Marie“).

This session continue on cd4. Also on this cd are 2 songs recorded for a German movie (“Vive Le Rock’n’Roll” with Caterina Valente and “Hot Dog Buddy Buddy“).
After that Bill Haley and his Comets seem to experiment various genres and tracks hoping to chart again. The result ranges from good to average. There’s attempts at new things like the crooning on “I Got Woman” or “A Fool Such As I“, first-rate rockers (“Where Did You Go Last Night”, “Caldonia“) and old mistakes (“ABC Rock” couldn’t really compete with Chuck Berry’s School Days). Then there’s the material for an instrumental album with different degrees of success, some announcing the forthcoming mexican releases.
The cd ends with two tracks recorded in 1964 seeing Haley returning to Decca for a single and also proving he still had plenty of good thing in store (though the public didn’t think so) and two songs recorded for the consideration of Milt Gabler that never went any further than the state of demos probably because Football Rock was too close to Crazy Man Crazy.

Cd5 gives you an inside view in the recording process of Haley, Gabler and the Comets.You can hear the evolution and the construction of the songs. Just wish they could have found the same tapes for a more interesting session.

This boxed set is perfect to discover the complexity of Bill haley. The only regret I have concerns the booklet. The liner notes seem to have been written by someone who doesn’t really like Haley but the discography is very complete and the pictures are beautiful.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Bill Haley – Bill Rocks

Bear Family BCD 16807
Rock Around The Clock – Shake Rattle And Roll – Dim Dim The Lights – Happy Baby – Mambo Rock – Rocket ’88 – Birth Of The Boogie – Razzle Dazzle – Two Hound Dogs – Rock The Joint – Burn That Candle – Rock-A-Beatin’ Boogie – See You Later, Alligator – Real Rock Drive – The Saints Rock And Roll – A.B.C. Boogie – R-O-C-K – Crazy Man Crazy – Hot Dog Buddy Buddy – Rockin’ Through The Rye – Rip It Up – Fractured – Rudy’s Rock – Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Don’t Knock The Rock – Live It Up – Forty Cups Of Coffee – Skinny Minnie – Lean Jean – Where Did You Go Last Night? – Green Tree Boogie.

Bill Haley’s greatest hits have been compiled over and over again , mostly on budget series with ugly covers and no liner notes. It is justice that the true father of Rock’n’roll finds his place in the Bear Family’s Rocks serie because Bill Haley didn’t rock, he was the Rock (the same way Charlie Feathers was the rockabilly).
The core of this collection is made of the hits he cut for Decca in the wake of the success of Shake Rattle & Roll and Rock Around the Clock. Are also included some of his Essex sides when he first tried to mix Western swing with Rhythm’n’blues showing a man and band figuring how to find a new sound, how they succeeded and changed the face of the popular music.
That’s without a doubt the best thing from Bill Haley you could buy if you’re not fan enough to get the boxed sets ‘The Decca Years & More” and “The Real Birth Of Rock’n’roll”. As usual it comes with a thick booklet.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis