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-^ AVOIDSome ear-wowing rockabilly,
psychobilly and blues on offer
this month, including
supergroup Tasteless, a
welcome return from The
Deltas and a sleazy re-imagining
of the Twin Peaks theme...
REVIEWS BY CRAIG BRACKENRIDGE
Bill Flagg & His
Rockabillies
GO CAT GO
SLEAZY RECORDS
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Rumour has it that Bill Flagg was
the first artist to use the term
‘rockabilly’ but that’s a hornet’s nest
that is probably best undisturbed
here. What most folks will confirm
though is that he was indeed a solid
rocker. This EP gathers together the
four most driving cuts lifted from
only the half-dozen recordings he
ever released over three singles
between 1956-58. Flagg quickly
tired of record label interference in
his sound and drifted away from the
biz so these foot-stompers are
warmly welcomed back on vinyl.Various Artists
ROCKIN’ BLUES KINGS
EL TORO RECORDS
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Interest in the earliest roots of
rock’n’roll has never been stronger
and there are a barn-full of bands
out there now who take their
influences from before the 1950’s.
Capitalising on this demand, El Toro
have released a beautifully
packaged series of six singles
featuring a quartet of blues belters
on each EP from the likes of
Washboard Sam, Billy Boy Arnold
and Little Johnny Jones. These
singles plunder the back catalogue
of labels like Chess, Flair and Savoy
to deliver only the finest, undiluted
shackshakers. Probably the most
collectable amongst these half-
dozen seven-inchers is the offering
from Little Walter which features
Mercy Baby, an earlier version of his
track My Babe, which has never
been previously released on vinyl,
but for sheer rowdy entertainment
the 45 from Sonny Terry & Brownie
McGhee takes the rubber biscuit.Howlin Ric And The
Rocketeers
YOUR LOVING DAYS ARE
THROUGH
GIN HOUSE RECORDS
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The canon of young rockers
continues to grow with this recent
offering from a highly talented
Leeds combo. With deep-honking
sax and some powerful backing
vocals on the title track it swings
furiously while Sweet Ella May on
the flipside takes a more bluesy
route. Both tracks have such a
crystal clarity that it is hard to
believe they were recorded live in a
single take which bodes well for
those of you out there that get the
opportunity to see them live.Singles & EP Reviews