26 original versions of some of the most enduring classics
of the 1950s and 1960s.
These tracks embrace some of the greatest country, soul, pop, rock`n'roll and R&B tunes ever recorded. We may never know why these songs did not become hits first time around, but musical inferiority is certainly not among the reasons why they didn't. Some of these originals are well known, others are hardly known at all. Most people with a passion for rock`n'roll will know that Richard Berry wrote and recorded the original "Louie Louie", but hardly anyone will know that the Kingston Trio and Mark James did "Get Together" and "Suspicious Minds" before the Youngbloods and Elvis Presley did. Hear how "Rock Around The Clock" sounded three years before Bill Haley and the Comets got to it, or how the Crickets "Fought The Law" almost half a decade before the Bobby Fuller Four and 15 years before the Clash did. Find out where Led Zeppelin acquired the source material for "Whole Lotta Love" and the Animals got "Baby let Me take You Home" from. Marvel at how closely the later hit versions were often modelled on these originals, and wonder how come they weren't hits in their own right.
Jim Keays fronted the successful Master's Apprentices until they broke up in the U.K. 1971. This marked a career change and he returned to Australia, where he worked for Go-Set magazine, formed the Rock On Agency, and appeared at the Mulwala Rock Festival in April 1972. In March 1973, he starred in the Australian version of the Who's Tommy and in January 1974, Keays participated in the third annual Sunbury Festival.
Keays then returned to music, recording his debut solo album, The Boy From the Stars, a concept album about an extraterrestrial visitor who attempts to warn people of the earth's imminent destruction. Keays, playing the role of the boy from the stars, wrote most of the music and all of the lyrics. "Kid's Blues"/"&Inter-Planetary Boogie" (December 1974) and "The Boy From the Stars"/"Take It on Easy" were released as singles and Keays undertook an ambitious tour in support of the album, but due to the size of the show, only three concerts were staged.
The anti-drug song "Give It Up"/"Love Is" was released in June 1975. He then formed Jim Keays' Southern Cross with Mick Elliot, Rex Bullen (keyboards), George Cross (bass), and Rick Brewer (drums). They released a reworking of the Masters Apprentices' "Undecided"/"For Someone" in December 1975, by which time the lineup had changed to Peter Laffy (guitar), Ron Robinson (bass), and John Swan.
In 1977, Keays formed the Manning/Keays Band with Phil Manning. The next year, Keays formed the Jim Keays Band with Ron Robinson, James Black (guitar), and David Rowe (drums). Guitarists John Moon and Geoff Spooner replaced Black, and by 1979, the band had evolved into the Keays with a revamped lineup of Moon, Bruce Stewart (guitar), Peter Marshall (bass), and Nigel Rough (drums). In early 1980, the band began recording an album which was never finished due to Stewart's ill health. The single "Lucifer Street"/"The Living Dead" was released and the band broke up.
The unfinished album was finally released in 1983 as a solo Jim Keays project titled Red on the Meter and "Lucifer Street" was re-released as a single. Keays then began working as a DJ until a new deal with Virgin in 1987 saw him fly to the U.K. to record with producer Craig Leon (the Ramones, the Bangles) and ex-Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. Two singles were released from the sessions: "Undecided"/"Dubcided" (July 1987) and "Reaction"/"Bates Motel" (October 1987). The Masters Apprentices then re-formed until Keays issued his second solo album in 1993, Pressure Makes Diamonds, on the Gemstone label. BMG reissued the album in mid-1994, after which Keays revived the Master's Apprentices again.
Keays and his fellow Master's Apprentices bandmembers were inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1999, Keays published his first book, His Master's Voice, which told the story of the Masters Apprentices. In January 2000, Raven Records reissued Keays' 1974 solo album, The Boy From the Stars, with five bonus tracks. The Mavis's contributed a cover of "The Boy From the Stars" to the original soundtrack of the Australian film Sample People in May 2000.
Tracklist
A1Don't Take Your Time2:42
A2A Time For Us (Love Theme From "Romeo And Juliet")3:48
A3Free And Easy2:55
A4Through Spray Colored Glasses3:10
A5Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On3:22
B1Where Do I Go?3:02
B2Alfie3:22
B3Need You2:58
B4Scarborough Fair/Canticle4:11
B5Love Years Coming2:50
B6The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (If You Needed Me)2:11
Companies, etc.
Recorded At – RCA's Music Center Of The World
Credits
Arranged By [Vocal] – Pat Valentino
Artwork [Cover Art] – Tom Wilkes
Conductor – Jules Chaikin
Producer, Arranged By – Jack Pleis
Sleeve Notes – Henry Mancini
Tracklist:
A1. I Would Dream2:13
A2. I'll Be A Star4:07
A3. Touch Me 2:53
A4. Seven Years 3:55
A5. Desert Sands 3:42
B1. Feelin Fine 2:37
B2. My Lady 3:10
B3. Life In The City2:54
B4. I'm Here 2:15
B5. Sing It 3:09
B6. How Will It Be3:30
Mike Fiems "I Would Dream" on Vermillion V-1974W. Excellent rural folk psych from 1974 outta Arizona. 11 songs total, every track is a winner on this lp. Produced by Vernon Wray.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Moss Music Group, Inc.
Copyright (c) – The Moss Music Group, Inc.
Recorded At – Workshoppe Recording Studios
Recorded At – Cove City Sound Studios
Recorded At – Between The Ears Studios
Mixed At – Between The Ears Studios
Recorded At – Waves Sound Recorders
Credits
Art Direction – Ken Lubin
Art Direction [Assistant] – Carrie Hamilton
Guitar – Neil Posner
Mixed By – Kevin Kelly, Rob Bengston
Performer [Additional Player] – Alan Brewer, Bob Stander, Larry Lader, Mike Braun, Richie Canmatta
Producer [Associate] – Rick Bleiweiss
Recorded By – Kevin Kelly, Lenny Stote
Vocals – Stephanie Davy
Vocals [Freddy Krueger Voice] – Robert Englund
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Executive-Producer – Kevin Kelly
Notes
Recorded at Workshoppe Recording Studios, Cove City Sound Studios
Of all the dumbed-down horror movie merchandise to come out of the 80's ('Toxic Crusaders,' anyone?) this might take the cake for stupidest. Some no-name studio musicians concocted these run-of-the-mill synth-pop tunes (many of which are covers of 50's and 60's novelty songs) and somehow got Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger) to lend his voice to them. It's all pretty bad, but 'Do The Freddy' at least has novelty appeal. I guess by '87, the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' franchise was pretty much a joke anyways.
