Hmm, some kind of anniversary here. Awright, time for the real rare teutonic underground beat stuff. Sure, none of the documented vinyl on Prae-Kraut Pandaemonium could ever be easily found, but this volume has about two handfuls of tracks that can't be found at all. (Look at the tracklist.) No scattered Englishmen this time, but the Swiss and Austrian factor is high...
Here we go-go!
1: I Can't Understand – THE SEVENS (2'25) (unreleased)
2: Sitting By The Sea – THE SNOBS (2'08) (acetate)
3: And The Beat Goes On – THE ATTACKS (3'23)
4: Long Tall Shorty – THE ORIGINAL STRANGERS (2'55) (live, unreleased)
5: Hi-Heel Sneakers – THE KENTUCKYS (2'45) (live, unreleased)
6: She's My Little Girl – THE VAMPIRES (4'20) (unreleased)
7: I'll Wanna Be Stay (sic) – THE VAMPIRES (2'10) (unreleased)
8: Friday, 13 th – THE ESQUIRES (2'35) (unreleased)
9: No Time – THE ESQUIRES (3'40) (unreleased)
10: Bye Bye Baby – THE WHITE SHOES (2'07)
11: Ombäschly -- THE PLAYBOYS (3'21)
12: Last Morning – LES DIABLES ROUGES (= THE RED DEVILS) (2'46)
13: I Go Crazy – THE ROMAN CATHOLICS (2'07)
14: Life – THE ROLETTS (2'10)
15: Just A Little – THE STRANGERS (2'16) (acetate)
16: Sing It Baby One More Time – LES NORMANDS (3'20) (live unreleased)
17: Leave It To Me – THE TWANGY GUITARS (2'24)
18: Meine kleine Sue – BERNHARD FRANK & DIE FREIBEUTER (3'48) (unrel.)
19: Only Today – THE MOUNTIES (3'45)
20: Take Care Of Our Love – POLO'S PEOPLE (2'57)
21: Complication – THE TEENAGERS (2'52)
22: No One But You – POLLY'S LONELY BOYS EXPORT CIE. (2'06)
23: Blow Up – STEVE'S GROUP (2'39)
24: Land Of Love – THE TORNADOS (2'30)
25: Make Love – THE V-RANGERS (2'12)
26: I've Got That Feeling – LES QUESTIONS (3'01)
27: War – FREEMEN OF LOVE (2'21)
28: Foot Stomp – THE BOYS (2'46)
29: Sodomie – THE TWANGY GANG (0'54)
For a starter here's the third and last unreleased track of THE SEVENS, who have been praised often enough. Recorded during the same session '65 as the two cuts on PKP 19, but this one wasn't included in the CD that was given away with the book „Beat Pop Protest“. *** THE SNOBS (Neunkirchen) are on most collectors' wantlist since a '64 private pressing of „Sitting By The Sea“ was mentioned in „Shakin' All Over“, the bible of German 60s beat. Now it turned out to be very private, cause it only does exist in form of about 20 test pressings (looking like acetates) owned by the band. Here 'tis.*** Talkin' 'bout rare... With 100 copies pressed, „We Call It Attackalogy“ by THE ATTACKS (Basel) is the rarest of all Swiss beat LPs. Recorded in, and released on Tonstudio Max Lussi in'67, it often sounds more '64 with all that Shadows-inspired and -derived instros, but there's some pretty neat cover versions too, and the stripped-down trashcan-arrangement of Sonny Bono's „The Beat Goes On“ is the most interesting.*** Don't know much about THE ORIGINAL STRANGERS. They were big in their hometown Salzgitter, but didn't make it to vinyl. Here's a live recording from '65, and they must have been big Tommy Tucker fans, cause they play his „Long Tall Shorty“ with some lines of „ Hi.Heel Sneakers“thrown in, and after the second verse they suddenly are kneedeep in „Long Tall Texan“.But that's alright. Tucker did more or less the same. Writing new words to Jimmy Reed tunes...*** „Hi-Heel Sneakers“-time again, this time interpreted by Wuppertal's KENTUCKYS, one of our favourite bands. 3 of their 4 sides have been immortalized on PKP. This one is a live recording from the TV-show „Beat Beat Beat“ and was never recorded in the studio.
The Vampires in action
*** THE VAMPIRES in question are neither the ones from Schweinfurt who made it big in Spain, nor those from Ludwigshafen who recorded for Kerston. They were from the Badenian border to France and mostly lived in Offenburg. They never made a record – which is a shame, considering the quality of these unreleased tapes – but a lot of recordings in '64/'65. Here are two originals saved from a worn out reel that gathered dust in a mouldy cellar for more than 45 years.
*** The same is true for THE ESQUIRES from Berlin. Two '66 studio recordings for a 7“ that never say the light. And again that would have made a much better single than much of the stuff that was released back then, especially in Berlin.
(we are urgently searching for this record; so this is not included here)
*** THE WHITE SHOES actually were the Dutch combo who abbreviated the name to The Shoes in the later 60s and had Nederbeat hits like „Na Na Na“ and „Osaka“. And when I call that stuff „commercial“, it's meant as a compliment in the way I'd talk about the output of Berlin's Gloomys, who also had a whole lot of major label releases, and half a handful of half-decent tracks among them. Nothing to write home about, anyway. But they toured Germany for about a year in 64/65 and recorded two singles here in Crailsheim, BW, for the tiny Monty label. I haven't heard „The Shuck“ by Heijo & The White Shoes yet, but if it's as entertaining as this very free adaption of Fats Domino's „Bye Bye Baby“, put it on my wantlist!
*** Wow, THE PLAYBOYS from Cologne! Blending free jazz with G.F. Händel on a beat single, while telling the story of Eddie & Sheena. A knock out! (O.K., we got mods and rockers here, not a punk slut and a greaser bloke, but the problem is much the same.) No clue about what an „Ombäschly“ might be (and why they spell it wrong on the cover), but I can tell you that both sides were written and sung by Uli Hundt, a guy who found considerable notoriety as leader of Schroeder Roadshow some ten years later. *** The Red Devils from Basel still opted for the French version of the name, LES DIABLES ROUGES, on the recording debut, an EP for the small local Sound label in'65. „Last Morning“ is something like the best song Chuck Berry has never written, and owes more than a warm handshake to his „Little Queenie“. They signed with the nationaly distributed Layola label, but after a predictably ill-fated 45 („Wooly Bully“!!!) and two contributions to the „Beat Bomb“- compilation (see PKP 8), the recording career of The Red Devils was over. *** More Swiss beat: I've heard a hundred plus versions of James Brown's „ I'll Go Crazy“, but none scared me like this one by THE ROMAN CATHOLICS on Philips.(Must by one of the all-time rarest on a major label.) „You believe me, I go crazy, you gotta leave yourself and nobody helps you“. The Gospel truth, soulbrother! Darker than black... *** Zapping over to Kärnthen, Austria: last time I raved about the mindexpanding single of THE ROLETTS on Cosmos (yeah, too. But I mean Cosmos Records), desperately hoping to ever find the other one. Now here it comes, again filled with world-explaining wisdom of the highest order. Know what happened?!? I just found out that there is a third one! The torture never stops. Dig deep and strike the rock... *** Next one is an acetate by yet another band called THE STRANGERS. As I said. every town had one. Recorded and carved by Tonstudio Florin in Geisweid/Siegerland, it presents a strangely strange and touching version of Beau Brummels' „Just A Little“, a song that actually was released in Germany on Vogue, and in that format is a sought after collector's item in its own right. *** Here's one I found on the www. Actually on U-tube (Never done things like that before, but hey, who'd ever found this one if I hadn't., and sound quality is quite alright for once on that station) The Swiss beatband LES NORMANDS. No other info what- and wheresoever. Great video by a band that obviously had no records released. *** Duisburg's TWANGY GUITARS and their „God Is My Life“ (CCA, '66) is one of the catchiest pieces of Jesus-Beat this side of The Liverpool Raiders, The Cobblers and The Joystrings (oh yeah, great 60s xian UK-bands, and I haven't even mentioned The Witnesses yet.) Must be two decades since I turned that 7“ over, and I guess I was much older then. But I'm younger by now. What an immaculate little jewel of Schunkel-Beat. No garage in sight, but „Leave It To Me“ is oh so charming...
(here is the tape we've found bernhard on)
*** Some weeks ago a friend called in and asked if I had one of these „old studio tape machines with 38 rpm and metal discs instead of reels. With that much bigger holes in the middle. And an adaptor is needed.“. I said I know what you mean, and in fact I have such an ancient monster, but haven't used it for decades. He came over with a big box of tapes he had bought for peanuts at a charity sale in Ludwigsburg, and among that scruffy collection of worn out tapes we've found a couple that obviously were safety copies and leftovers of recordings made at the local Tonstudio Bauer, the location where lots of German 60s classics were made, among them the records of The Hounds, Jimmy & The Rackets and the „5 Upstart Americans“-demoes of The Monks. But the Bauers were freelancers, and we had a hard time going through a lot of bierzelt musik and local marching bands, mostly uncredited,as many tapes had no cover or info-sheet, and the start/stop/fast forward- function with that old equipment is a more adventurous and tricky thing than putting a CD in your player. But then we stumbled over this tape saying BERNHARD FRANK & DIE FREIBEUTER, and my heart skipped a beat or two. And in fact, here we found four unreleased tracks by that legendary, but mystifying German performer, who had two or three extremely hard to find German language beat-45s, before he changed his style in the 70s and earned his bread on Butterfahrten. 46 years of careless storage took their toll, but like with many of the sources on this volume: take it or leave it. It's alternativlos! *** Next is the other side of the only known 7“ (Musik Corporation A-101) by the wonderful wonderous MOUNTIES. Scroll down to PKP 19 here on this blog. I haven't found nothing new on them yet. *** In Switzerland Polo Hofer is about as prominent as Lindenberg is in Germany. Like Udo with The Mustangs he started his career as a drummer (for The Jetmen) in the mid-60s, but soon felt an uncontrollable urge to get up and get a little more spotlight. The first recording group he fronted were POLO'S PEOPLE, who released this extremely hard to find 45 on Royal Splendid in '67. Nine years later he hit the jackpot with his band Rumpelstiltz and „Kiosk“ (still a Gassenhauer in German speaking countries) and never looked back. *** Nothing known about THE TEENAGERS, except that they reportedly came from Locarno,Switzerland, and thus not from the German speaking part of that little country. But when I read about the single (on CDA,67) this one haunted me, because I guessed it might be the only known 60s cover version of a Monks song. It's not, but that's even better. „Complication“ is one of these perfect Prae-Kraut originals in spirit and execution, and shifting and stretching the border a little bit might be forgiven in this case. Ego me absolvo, anyway... *** Even more dubious in terms of Prae-Kraut-limits is the 7“ by POLLY'S LONELY BOYS EXPORT CIE. It's a Swiss-only release by a band from Belgium on the tiny Europe label. But where if not here would you find such a touching description of a heavy hangover. „Woke up this morning, couldn't even remember my name...“ *** What exactly he's blowing up in „Blow Up“ isn't quite clear, but the song is a real cumshot to my ears. (Pass the kleenex, please.) It's STEVE'S GROUP with another of these scarce 45s on Royal Splendid, a label that hosted Swiss, Austrian and German artists in the 60s. *** THE TORNADOS' sole 7“ was recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in '64, and the band released it on their own Hi-Lite label. Written by one H. Trimble, I could swear that I've heard „Land Of Love“ somewhere else before, and it sounds so typically American... But back then we had some thousands of GI's stationed in the Greater Stuttgart area, who knows?
*** But I know where I've heard „Make Love“ before. One of the very few killer tracks of The Ivy League, but to my knowledge only released on the „Sounds of...“ album. THE V-RANGERS' version was a '68 single on Amadeo, but can be found on their LP „Explosion“ as well. The Rangers never sounded better than that, and the bloodless blue-eyed soul attempts which make up the biggest part of the repertoire aren't even an aquired taste. The „V“ stand for Vienna, by the way. *** LES QUESTIONS came from the Romandy, the French speaking corner of Switzerland, and released one of the toughest to find EPs of all times on Studiovox in '67. Playing The Kinks' „I've Got That Feeling“ in tango tempo is a challenge they master with ease, more or less, any way. They struggled on to the early 70s, and rumour has it, that Dave Peverett (ex-Savoy Brown, pre-Foghat) and Peter Behrens (pre-Silberbart, pre-Trio) both had a stint in their ranks.*** It took about a decacade, but here it comes: another anti-“War“-song on PKP! Absolutely zilch known about the FREEMEN OF LOVE, except they must have been from Austria. They obviously didn't even release a 7“, cause this track from the 1970 sampler „Pop Made In Austria“ on Lesborne Rec. seems to be all they left us. THE BOYS from Austria were a rather prolific band, but the output was quite pedestrian so far. Mediocre at best, concerning the domestic releases... But on an Yugoslawian EP we've found this one and only song that wasn't released in Germany or Austria, and it's definitely the best they've ever recorded. *** To end this mess here's a short cut from Berlin's TWANGY GANG (not to be confused with The Twangy Guitars.). In '69 they recorded one of these exploito-LPs that plundered the songs from „Hair“ for the German cheapo label Tip. There are a lot of German-language versions of this overrated musical, but „Sodomy“ usually was avoided on vinyl.
That's it for today, stay tuned. Yours, the lolly pope. (andäh westfauster...)
a prae-kraut pandaemonium volume 20
(mp3 / 256 kbps / 155 mb / direct download)
(outro: nothing to do with the groups on this volume. just a gallery of unrecorded bands from the stuttgart area back then.)
20 comments:
Thanks! I already love it! How about compiling the previous 19 Vols in one large file?
Euer Irrwürden !
Da sind ja wieder klasse Sachen bei, an die man sonst überhaupt nicht kommt- vielen Dank !
Das mit den ersten 19 Volumes kann ich nur unterstützen- Einiges gab es mal hier & da im Netz, Einiges hab ich auf Vinyl, Pope sei dank, aber der Rest ist schwierig zu bekommen.
Also hoffen wir mal Alle, daß Stuttgart 21 bald beerdigt wird, dann habt Ihr auch wieder mehr Zeit...:-)
Liebe Grüße !
Joey
danke für die blumen, gemeinde, aber ihr meint ja wohl die ersten 15 Ausgaben. Die, die auf Vinyl erschienen sind. PKP 16, 17, 18 & 19 gibts nur virtuell, und zwar hier auf diesem blog. Just scroll down or click on label: PRAE-KRAUT at the very end of this post. Lolly
concerning requests for vols. 1-15 of prae-kraut: as we said, we rather spend time, nerves, energy and beer on new projects. BUT: from reliable sources I know that allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com will post all 15 vinyl volumes in the very near future (in some kind of coop with yours truly) watch that space. Lolly.
old melodies sent a mail and says:
>> prae-kraut # 20 ist vielleicht - und nicht nur wg. Seltenheitsgrad – die bisher beste Folge die es jeh gab, durchgehend Spaß, nur Hilites, alles vom Feinsten. Hier mein Kommentare, Stück für Stück:
Sevens: kannte ich ja schon aus der Krautmaske & ist natürlich, wie eigentlich alles von den 7s, ein Klassestück in bester Beattradition –
Snobs: ein echtes Juwel, moody & raunchy mit der Melodica (ist doch, oder?) –
Attacks: die einzig gute Version ( vielleicht neben La Ragazza 77- il Beat ..cos‘è) von einem ansonsten dämlichen Stück, aber hier funktioniert es und wird zu einer glaubwürdigen Ballade –
Original Strangers: eine schlaggkräftiger Beweis, wie man‘s auch ohne English schafft –
Kentuckys : perfekter Anschluß an LOngTallSHorty, vielleicht vom Ende des Sets, als der Drummer schon etwas außer Atmen war oder das Bier seinen Zoll wollte, aber meiner Lieblingsgruppe verzeih‘ ich alles –
Vampires: echte Perlen, ein Prachtfang, und noch dazu Originale, dem tut die Soundqualität überhaupt keinen Abbruch…. –
Esquires: meine absolute Lieblingsgruppe auf PKP20 (vor allem das erste Stück)! -
White Shoes: is das echt die gleiche Röhre von Na Na Na und Don't you cry for a girl? Kaum zu glauben aber klasse –
Playboys: hier erübrigt sich jeder Kommentar, hätt‘ ich, da aus der Nachbarstadt, eigentlich kennen müssen, Anarchia si! Hallalujah! -
Diables Rouges: trotz Sprouts & Pommes absolut auf der Beathöhe (demnächst auf 60s Uncomped ne neue Belgien-Folge) –
R Katholics: wie bei den Attacks, ein Stück, das ich ansonsten nicht leiden kann, wird hier zu einem würdigen Raver -
Roletts: ungerechterweise wenig bekannt, aber demnächst noch mehr im 60s Uncomped-Theater –
Strangers: haunted, beinahe spooky, ein weiters Lieblingsstück -
Les Normands: Voll schräg, aber paßt bestens zum vorigen Gang –
Twangy Guitars: Pluspunkte weil aus Duisburg (fast so gut wie die Crossbeats oder die Prophets (die "Witnesses“ kenn‘ ich garnicht)) –
B Frank: nun bin ich aber gespannt, was A. und die B Frank-Fan-Gemeinde dazu sagen wird, jedenfalls ein schöner Treffer im Verunsicherungsspiel, ansonsten siehe trax 6 u 7…
Mounties: das 2. Stück, das ich von der Siemers‘ Seite kannte, ein absolutes Hilite, man versteht nicht, wie es bisher übersehen werden konnte –
Polo‘s People: erinnern mich an Dusty Springfield, ergo top –
Teenagers: ich laß mich gerne wg. Häresie an den Pranger stellen, weil ich die Monks einfach nicht abkann, und die Teenagers geben eine viel bessere, weil trockenere Version ab –
pollyslonelyboys: ein weiteres Lieblingsstück schon nach dem ersten Anhören –
Steve‘Group: hört sich fast wie ein Arp an, und kann sich trotz prog-Tendezen behaupten –
Tornadoes: Weiter mit Sax, würde auch gerne mehr Info zur Bio haben ….
V-Rangers: Fuzzy und soulig bis zum Anschlag, demnächst gibt‘s ne Zugabe bei 60s Uncomped –
Questions: wirklich eine tolle Version im Tangokleid, Ray wird sich sicherdarüber freuen.. –
Free men of Love: weil es ja ein war-Stück ist, laß ich die Proguntertöne durchgehen -
Boys: kannte ich von LP Jugobeat, und sind ansonsten bis auf ein paar wenige Ausnahmen echte Blindschleichen –
Twangy Gang: Fellatio , Cunniligus , klingt das häßlich / Vater, warum findest du‘s dann gräßlich… selten so gelacht, ein würdiger Ausklang, wie man ihn sich nur von PKP erwartet!
Grüße M. <<
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/
oops, great review, but it wasn't old melodies, but michael vee of the very recommendable: 60s (mostly) uncompiled blog. Thanks for praise, Michael. you're a man who knows his stuff.
good news for friends of prae-kraut: vol. 1 of EXPLOITING PLASTIC INEVITABLE (the little brother of PKP) has just been posted on http://stvitusdancehall.blogspot.com
EXPLOITING PLASTIC INEVITABLE Vol.2 up on paradiseofgaragecomps.blogspot.com (Vol 1 of this PKP-sister-series is posted there too)
german beat history is making waves! "Visions of the Past 1", a comp puzzled together by our dear old friend XL Beaver, has just been posted at faintlyblowing.blogspot.com
This one was as crucical as it was helpful for the ignition of PKP. Even though it set us back half a year then, (when we had to cancel half of the tracklist of our own baby), we had a hell of a good time visiting the Mighty Beaver 20 years ago (boozing him under his own table and then some..)Yours, Noi Koi Reflex.
another hint for prae-kraut followers: while old melodies seems to have serious trouble with new posts, they actually have uploaded PKP vols 5 and 6. But the links are hidden in the comments of Heimatliche Klaenge vol 52 (last comment there)But,like always on that blog, you can't just paste and copy the link. you have to erase the arrows (----->) before download. Lolly.
Prae-Kraut Vols 5,6,7,8 and 9 now uploaded at old melodies
(allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com)
What a wonderful compilation again! And there were even no extra tracks from that AMATEUR BEAT-FESTIVAL DORTMUND 1968 test-pressing record that tickled my imagination with vol. 19. When will we gonna hear these? Can't wait.
Hi there Erik! great to meet you again after all these years!! You're right, I forgot about that LP completely with all that new stuff coming in from various sources. My address is the same, but phone nr. changed. If you want a tape of the complete Dortmund Beatfestival-LP get in touch: (simply my familyname).@myway.com Cheers to the lowlands, and all the best, Werner V., Stuttgart
all 15 prae-kraut vinyl volumes now upped at old melodies. ( = allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com)
Awesome collection!
Thank you very much!
brandnew PRAE-KRAUT material posted at 60s(mostly)uncomped,aka http://michaelvee.livejournal.com In a joint venture with the lolly pope michael has made two new volumes of Electrick Loosers (5 and 6)with all previously uncompiled tracks from our Prae-Kraut Pandaemonium shortlist. Approved by the pope and not to be missed!
Thanx a lot!
Hi, is it possible to reup this cd? Greetings
hi guszamora, thank you for your request, but unfortunately i can not help you. when the lolly pope died in 2013 his computer and all prae-kraut files got lost. sorry for the bad news. thank you again and stay safe. rvd
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