Rarities (3)

Various Artists - Never Mind Other Labels Here's Chiswick (10", Chiswick 0900.45, Germany 1977).

One of the coolest promo-only discs in the Chiswick discography. Released in 1977 by the label's German distributor Metronome, this 10" disc comes in a stapled together/silk-screened 12" sleeve.

Tracklisting:

1.Radiators From Space - Television Screen
2.Skrewdriver - Anti-Social
3.Little Bob Story - Riot In Toulouse
4.Johnny Moped - Incendiary Device
5.Motorhead - Motorhead

1.101ERS - Keys To Your Heart
2.Count Bishops - Train Train
3.Stukas - Clean Living Kids
4.Glen Glenn - Blue Jeans
5.Whirlwind - Hang Loose (I Gotta Rock)

A wild, wild party in just under 30 minutes! Happy hunting...

Ace Records

This month's releases from Ace Records.

Johnny Moped badge

The Thrust label

Thrust was one of the first Chiswick label off-shoots, debuting in July 1977 with Lee Kristofferson's Dinner With Drac, a cover of John Zacherle's 1958 hit. A nice enough version that, by the sound of it, was recorded on multitrack by a one-man band. The flip is the better tune here tho'. A dark, brooding instrumental with Link Wray-ish overtones. For years I figured this was the labels only release (the Dutch only Buy Chiswick Records compilation stated as much), but recent research made it clear that at least three more discs were released on the label.

Thrust discography

RUFF 1 Lee Kristofferson - Dinner With Drac/Night Of The Werewolf (7/'77)
RUFF 2
RUFF 3 Flames - Your Love Is slipping Away/That's What You Told Me
RUFF 4 Tyke & Tine Trucker - Cuddly Bear/Narvis Reptile - Whoa! Mule Whoa! (?/'82)

Besides still comin' up blank regardin' RUFF 2, there's also the fact that the Flames disc is listed in an old Rock On mailorder catalogue as being released on yet another label off-shoot (Masquerade MASQ 2). Until I find an actual copy the above will have to do...

Radiators From Space recordings from the vaults

Radiators From Space - Midnite demos EP and Live At The Southend Kursaal 1977 LP (both Rejected Records).

Two archive releases by the mighty Radiators From Space that appeared last year but only recently found their way to HQ. The EP features the bands first demo, recorded October 31st 1976, and shows 'em in prime garage mode. The sound is raw but perfectly suits their primal wail. I really love recordings from this period when bands like this had nothing to go on besides the first Ramones LP and had to make up their own mind regarding this punk-rock thing. Of course there's the obligatory Nuggets cover here, and the band also recorded Stooges and Flamin' Groovies material around this time, but you can, no make that could, never go wrong with that.



The album features a live set recorded at the final date of Thin Lizzy's Bad Reputation tour recorded on December 17th 1977 at the Southend Kursaal (Chiswick's Ted Carroll used to manage Thin Lizzy before setting up the label, so that's probably how the Radiators ended up on that tour). A good set with decent sound, but there is very little to differentiate this from the live material that appeared on the Alive Alive O! CD. That said, both releases are nicely packaged and come on colored vinyl (and multiple colors at that!, I'm told), plus the LP comes with a cool looking poster. Get 'em both!

Wanda Jackson at The Luminaire 21 September 2006

"Ace Records and The Luminaire are excited to announce a special one off show by one of our all time heroines Wanda Jackson ! Wanda will be flying in all the way from Oklahoma City to perform a rare club date to help us launch a new compilation of her country recordings 'The Very Best Of The Country Years’. The evening will be very special featuring Wanda backed by Wes McGhee + Bill Haley & The Comet's rhythm section. Support will be provided by Vince Vincent & The Villains (www.vincentvincentandthevillains.com). There will also be celebrity DJs, a drive-by by the local Hot Rod Club and full 50s uniforms for all the venue staff. As space in the club in strictly limited, book early to avoid disappointment.

Wanda Jackson (born Wanda Jean Jackson, on October 20, 1937, in Maud, Oklahoma) was the first female rock and roll singer in the United States, releasing her debut record in 1956. She is often hailed as the "Queen Of Rockabilly."

Jackson was still in high school when country singer Hank Thompson heard her sing on an Oklahoma City radio show and asked her to record with his band. She dated Elvis Presley, who encouraged her to step away from the country-tinged gospel she had been performing since childhood and try her hand at rock and roll. She developed her own distinctive voice and performed in a variety of styles, from folksy traditional tunes to country twang and high yodels to throaty, suggestive ballads. She was a prolific singer of songs with wry lyrics such as "Fujiyama Mama," which contained many references to the World War II bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; ironically, it became a #1 hit in Japan. Her biggest hit was 1959's "Let's Have a Party."

Jackson achieved great and continuing success throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia, but has never found the same level of fame in her native United States. She toured with rock and roll pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly. She has been nominated for two Grammys, and has been awarded the Oklahoma Native Daughter Award. Shë has been inducted into the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the International Hall of Fame, the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, and the German Country Music Hall of Fame, but remains conspicuously absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A born-again Christian, Jackson and her husband/manager Wendell Goodman abandoned rock and roll in 1971 and spent the next 25 years performing gospel in churches.

In 1996, Jackson was invited by alt-country singer Rosie Flores to duet with her on an upcoming album. The two were so pleased with the results that Jackson joined Flores on a handful of promotional club dates which were soon extended into a five-week North American tour. Jackson, pleasantly surprised to discover that she and her songs were known by a generation of rockabilly fans her grandchildren's age, soon assembled her own band and returned to clubs and festivals, where she continues to perform.

In recent years Jackson has recorded with such artists as The Cramps, Lee Rocker, Dave Alvin, and Elvis Costello. 2006 sees the release of her new country compilation album, 'The Very Best of The Country Years’ For tickets click here."

From A Rabbit ad

The book of numbers

From the linernotes of The Chiswick Records Story: "When the first Chiswick record was released, the prefix used was SW, under the misapprehension that it was the postal code for the Chiswick area of London, which lent its name to the label. As the first release was an EP, SW became the EP prefix, and a different prefix was needed for singles to act as a price code. The letter S was chosen, but when distribution moved to CBS that prefix was in use already, and NS was selected."

The distribution move to CBS happened around August 1977 when Chiswick had already issued 15 singles and EPs. Most (or all?) of these releases were re-released with the new prefix. Easy enough, right? Truth is, the change-over gave way to a myriad of tiny differences in both pressings and sleeves. First thing you'll notice is that the sleeves kept the original prefix and the change is only apparent on the labels (the
number in the run-out groove also has the old prefix up until NS 12 after which it seems that the stamps were cut Porky's instead of Lyntone). The initial releases generally came in thick laminated sleeves, but later pressings came in both thick and thin (non-laminated) sleeves as well. Below is a rundown of what I'm aware of, but I realize there will be plenty more variations (I have not included the Big Beat reissues of S 3 and S 13). Obviously I'd love to hear from you if you've got any additional info...

SW 1 Count Bishops - Speedball EP (laminated sleeve)
S 2 Vince Taylor - Brand New Cadillac/Pledging My Love (no p/s)
S 3 101'ers - Keys To Your Heart/Five Star Rock'n'Roll Petrol (thin sleeve)
NS 3 101'ers - Keys To Your Heart/Five Star Rock'n'Roll Petrol
S 4 Gorillas - She's My Gal/Why Wait 'till Tomorrow (thick flipback sleeve)
NS 4 Gorillas - She's My Gal/Why Wait 'till Tomorrow (thick sleeve)
S 5 Count Bishops - Train Train/Takin' It Easy (thick sleeve)
SW 6 Rocky Sharpe & the Razors - EP (laminated sleeve)
SW 7 Little Bop Story - EP (laminated sleeve)
S 8 Gorillas - Gatecrasher/Gorilla Got Me (thick sleeve)
NS 8 Gorillas - Gatecrasher/Gorilla Got Me (thick sleeve)
S 9 Radio Stars - Dirty Pictures/Sail Away (promo with "Sail Away" indicated by rubber-stamp as A-side)
S 9 Radio Stars - Dirty Pictures/Sail Away (laminated sleeve)
S 9 Radio Stars - Dirty Pictures/Sail Away (thick sleeve)
NS 9 Radio Stars - Dirty Pictures/Sail Away
S 10 Radiators From Space - Television Screen/Love Detective (thick sleeve)
S 10 Radiators From Space - Television Screen/Love Detective (band name on p/s in white & yellow, not just yellow)
NS 10 Radiators From Space - Television Screen/Love Detective
S 11 Skrewdriver - You're So Dumb/Better Off Crazy (orange "screw" sleeve)
S 11 Skrewdriver - You're So Dumb/Better Off Crazy (green "screw" sleeve)
NS 11 Skrewdriver - You're So Dumb/Better Off Crazy (Band pic sleeve)
S 12 Count Bishops - Baby You're Wrong/Stay Free (grey carboard sleeve)
NS 12 Count Bishops - Baby You're Wrong/Stay Free (blue/green sleeve) (A-side S12, B-side NS 12)
S 13 Motorhead - Motorhead/City Kids
NS 13 Motorhead - Motorhead/City Kids (thick sleeve)
? 13 Motorhead - Motorhead/City Kids ("record player" label)
S 13 Motorhead - Motorhead/City Kids (12")
S 14 Rings - I Wanna Be Free/Automobile
NS 14 Rings - I Wanna Be Free/Automobile (thick sleeve)
S 15 Johnny Moped - No One/Incendiary Device
NS 15 Johnny Moped - No One/Incendiary Device (thick sleeve)

UPDATE: Got this msg from Steve @ Low Down Kids: "On your blog you say "(the number in the run-out groove also has the old prefix up until NS 12 after which it seems that the stamps were cut Porky's instead of Lyntone)." I think this might be misleading for two reasons:
1. Porky's is where the mastering was done, not the making of the stampers (which would've been at Lyntone). Records without the 'Porky' ref were probably mastered at Lyntone (but not necessarily: Porky didn't ALWAYS put his name on stuff)
2. Your sentence suggests that all records after NS12 were Porky's, but the "From A Rabbit" 6", for instance - picked at random of my shelves -, doesn't mention Porky. Maybe it WAS cut by Porky and he didn't put his name on it, but that's unlikely seeing as it's a special sort of record. That one was probably mastered at Lyntone.

In other words it's probably better to avoid making the statement. It's just too fuzzy."

Thanks for pointing out the differences between Porky's and Lyntone. But I'm only refering here to these initial releases. 'From A Rabbit' is a perfect example tho' of the mess that comes with those later releaeses; for that particular 7" stampers were made at both CBS and Lyntone, and both feature a different mix...

Radio Stars 1978 tour programme (2)

These pages are from a (spring) 1978 tourprgramme when the Radio Stars toured with Eddie & the Hot Rods and Squeeze. (Images c/o Steve @ Low Down Kids)

Grunnen rocks..

The Radio Stars appeared at a festival in Groningen (august 1978) alongside Dutch punk icons Ivy Green, Helmettes, Suzannes and Subway. And yeah, I would love to have been there. But alas, it was not to be...

People like you...

The Holiday Album...

Time to take a short break from this bloggin' business and stop fussin' over Johnny Moped b-sides... Yep, I'm off on a short holiday break. But please keep an eye out for updates, 'cause I'll be back soon enough...

It's life Jim, but not as we know it...

Ever since my first steps on the information-highway I've been using Chiswick as my e-mail handle. Over the years this has got me some very interesting mail. From Sniff 'n' the Tears licensing requests from Japan, to people wondering about whenever it was the Bishops toured Ireland. The later, to my eternal joy, brought me a "thank you" in the excellent "It Makes You Want to Spit" book by Sean O'Neill and Guy Telford as an employee of Chiswick Records! (if only...)

Radiators From Space ads

New Radiators From Space LP

The third (as yet untitled) Radiators From Space album is in the can.

The tracks for consideration are: Consierge, We Are So Beutiful, Trouble Pilgrim, Don't Walk Away, Joe Strummer, Heaven, Package From home, Second Avenue, Huguenot, She Says i'm A Loser, Hinterland, Tell Me Why, Words and The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs

Possible release date is around September 2006...

Rock On charts

Radio Stars 1978 tour programme

Gorilla Got Me radio

Fans of Chiswick Records should tune in to Sara J's amazing Gorilla Got Me radio show every Wednesday 2:00–4:00PM EST at WMBR 88.1 FM in Cambridge (also available on-line). Sara is a way cool gal with an immaculate taste in wild, wild R'n'R sounds, who rates Jesse Hector, Mike Spencer and Johnny Moped among her heroes. Now just how hep can one girl be?

Rarities (2)

Johnny Moped - Basically, The Original Johnny Moped Tape.
(PROMO 3, 1978)
This is basically a vinyl version of the tape that got Johnny Moped signed to Chiswick in the first place. Part live and rehearsal recordings, it also features all kindsa weird interludes by the Moped-one himself and last for almost half an hour thanks to a bizarre mono/one-sided groove technique.
According to the previously mentioned article in Record Collector (issue 196, Dec 1995) only 300 copies of this were made. I've seen this listed as bein' given away with initial copies of 'Cycledelic', but never seen any "official" mention of this.
Part of these recordings can now be found on the Basically; the Best Of Johnny Moped CD.

Willem O' Duys

That's famous Dutch radio and TV personality Willem O Duys, who was also owner of the Relax label (home of the fabulous Outsiders). This uh, "mash up" was created by Michel Fenderwoods, who's probably closer to the truth then he figured, 'cause I do hold up the godlike first Bishops LP to people every so often while telling 'em about the significance of this disc in the global scheme of things... Heck, two more years of reclining hairline and it is me!

Rock On ad

Jeff Hill

From the liner notes of The Chiswick Story: "Jeff Hill was from Bolton and 'I Want You To Dance With Me' (Chiswick NS 16, Sept 30th 1977) was, to the best informed sources, his one and only record. Tom Petty was getting his first hits at about the same time but he never phased a guitar break like that. Not a lot is known about Jeff Hill apart from the fact that he was from Bolton."

Jeff Hill's sole Chiswick single is a great slab of punky-powerpop. Sadly, the above was about the only available info for years. That is, until the Dutch based Lowdown Kids label released the LP 'Something's Wrong With The Jeff Hill Band'.

This disc reveals not only that there was a second 45 by Hill & Co. ('Something's Wrong With My Baby' on the Balloon label, released in 1979), but also that attempts were made to do a second Chiswick 7". According to the liner notes the band recorded three songs at Pathway on November 28th 1977 (all are included), but in the end the label decided against putting out another single by the band. A shame really, because of these three songs 'Getaway' would have perfectly fitted as yet another fantastic release for Chiswick. For the band it meant losing out on a tour with Motorhead and a Granada TV appearance. The LP also features a band version of 'I Want You To Dance With Me' (the 45 was a solo effort) and on the second side a live recording of the band's farewell gig in April 1980.