The Sharks’ seminal debut
returns, Jackie Wilson hooks
up with Count Basie and
Ramblin’ Ellie finds herself
unlucky in love
REVIEWS BY CRAIG BRACKENRIDGE
& STEVE HARNELLThe Sharks
PHANTOM ROCKERS
WESTERN STAR
++++
Phantom Rockers from 1983 is perhaps one
of the clearest illustrations of when a neo
rockabilly band moved things up a gear into
what we now know as psychobilly. Out went
the covers of Sugar Doll and Tired ’n’ Sleepy
from The Sharks’ early days as new, more
robust rockers such as Short Shark Shock
and Ruff Stuff kicked the doors down.
From the blistering pace of the first track,
Moonstomp, early listeners must have
known they were in for something new.
Just like The Ricochets and The Meteors,
The Sharks had already served time on the
rockin’ scene, so the musicianship on this
debut is of a far higher standard than many
of the bands who followed in their wake.
As the quiffs of young rockabillies were
trimmed into flat-tops across the nation, the
band’s Take A Razor To Your Head became
an era-defining song, while Skeleton Rock,
Death Row, Crazy Maybe and Charlie! hinted
at the macabre direction the genre would
wallow in across the years. While many
bands prop up their first albums with
cover versions, The Sharks used themsparingly, and both The Valentinos’
(and later The Rolling Stones) It’s All Over
Now and Cliff Richard and The Shadows’ We
Say Yeah get a highly original makeover.
The roots of rockabilly are still audible here,
but the entire album has a harder, sharper
edge that still feels refreshing today.
Across 16 tracks, this debut sowed the
seeds of a scene that has become a lifestyle
for many, and in an ingenious move it is
now presented, fully remastered, across two
separate 10" discs on both blue and purple
coloured vinyl.
This album has seen the light of day
many times over the years but, 38 years on
from its original appearance, this has to be
the ultimate reissue. As The Sharks initially
split soon after this release hit the streets,
Phantom Rockers may not have always
been granted the respect it deserves, but
it remains a cornerstone of the entire
psychobilly genre; it’s not only a historically
important release but also a classic, hard
rockin’ album that has never sounded
better. Craig BrackenridgeJoe Brown
GOLD
DEMON
++
Pressed on 180g gold vinyl, this
collection picks the best of Demon’s
more extensive 3CD compilation of
the same name. Top 10 smashes
A Picture Of You, It Only Took A
Minute and That’s What Love Will Do
kick off the compilation, while the
remaining 13 tracks hop wildly
through Joe’s career before drawing
to a close with his rip-roaring
rendition of Hava Nagila. For
determined fans, this will surely be
no more than a completist’s artefact,
but the glimmering vinyl may
attract the attention of some new
converts to this British legend. CBElvis Presley
ELVIS PRESLEY
SONY
++
The King’s legendary 1956 debut
album gets dragged out once again,
this time on a new 200g white vinyl
pressing. It looks fantastic and still
sends a shiver down the spine when
the needle drops into the groove,
but which part of the vinyl market is
this targeted at? Hopefully, a legion
of new listeners will have
unwrapped record decks over
Christmas and will get their minds
expanded by this truly important
recording, but for seasoned Elvis
fans it will offer nothing more than
a nagging collector’s itch that just
has to be scratched. CB++++
+EXCEL
LENT++++
VERY^ GO
OD+++
AVERAGE
++PAT
CHY
+POOR