MAD – “Fink Along With MAD” LP (1963)
This is the only other rock parody LP that MAD ever put out and, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say it is the harder to find of the two. On this record we find the same one-trick pony from the first LP still happily galloping along, showing only slight signs of fatigue and, like the first LP, the recording quality and musicianship is top-notch, putting this record on almost the same level as a legitimate Rock ‘n’ Roll release. The song “Let’s Do The Fink” was later used on one of those “Wavy Gravy”-style comps called “It’s Finking Time” and it is actually one of the better comps of the genre and worth a listen. The song “It’s A Gas” showed up on another weirdo comp of obscure oldies, but the name now eludes me.
The Artists
SAMPLE TRACKS:
I’ll Never Make Fun Of Her Mustache Again
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This is the MAD I grew up with–the last of a now dead breed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3OtmcEZ_dU&feature=related
MAD – “Twists Rock ‘n’ Roll” LP (1962)
So who said there’s no such thing as good, clean fun? As I said before, humor doesn’t usually stand the test of time but, at almost 50 years old, this LP is still good for a laugh or two and there isn’t a bad song on the disk. They simply don’t make novelty records like this anymore and one has to realize that, at the time of its release, rock ‘n’ roll was still viewed as something of a fad, so the guys at MAD went all out and hired some rockabilly musicians and a couple of real teen crooners to give this thing an authentic feel and, in a way, it almost stands on its own as a solid rock ‘n’ roll LP, despite its novelty status. I was actually a huge fan of MAD as a kid and started reading the magazine when I was six years old and continued to receive the publication for years, long after I outgrew it, simply out of principal, as they were the one hugely popular magazine that didn’t have to resort to using advertising for support and generally stuck to the same gimmick. Then, one day, I was skimming through an issue and found myself puzzled by a full-color Doritos add, trying to figure out what the joke was, only to realize that it wasn’t a joke, but an actual advertisement. My relationship of almost two decades ended shortly thereafter. However, there are worse things a kid could be reading and I assume the traditional messages that things in this life are never quite what they seem, that people rip you off and lie, and that you can expect to have things go wrong still exist in the newer, albeit lamer version of MAD that exists today. Suffice to say, MAD made a huge impression on my malleable, albeit poopy young mind and, apparently, it made an impression on a certain young Kevin (aka G.G.) Allin, as well, leading him to do an excellent send-up of “Nose Job” on the “Eat My Fuc” LP, changing the title to “Blow Jobs”. Bet you didn’t know it was a cover tune! Some really great satire on this one, my favorite being “My Johnny’s Hubcap”, a “Leader Of The Pack” rip-off where the guy’s only earthly remains are a hubcap, that she wears around her neck as a sign of her undying love and, of course, the lyrics to “I Found Her Telephone Number…..” will follow me to my grave!
Teenagers
Rear Cover
SAMPLE TRACKS:
I Found Her Telephone Number….
And for those who never listened to GG Allin: GG Allin – Blow Jobs
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The Spokesmen – “The Dawn Of Correction” LP (1965)
I suppose everyone who ever listened to an oldies station has heard the song “Eve Of Destruction” by Barry McGuire or, perhaps, you’ve heard The Dickies version of it. If not, you’re not missing much—it’s inane Commie / Hippie drivel. On this LP, these three ROTC-looking lads offered their retort to this Hippie gloom and doomer with a message of hope for the future and support of our boys in Vietnam. Unfortunately, the folks at Decca employed a practice of many major labels during that time and saw fit to mix it up with some covers of popular artists like Donovan and The Beatles to try to give it some broader appeal, resulting in the loss of considerable punch in my opinion. Actually, the band’s original tunes aren’t too bad, copying the Bob Dylan / Folk Rock style that was popular at the time—I’ll post most of them in the samples below. Aside from the fact that their stance on the three pro-America tunes seems somewhat forced, it’s a solid try. However, the real gem is “It Ain’t Fair”, a plaintive and funny burst of teen angst that wound up lost, buried and basically forgotten in the mess.
SAMPLE TRACKS:
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Battle Of The Boy Bands Part 2: The Bantams – “Beware The Bantams” LP (1966)
Yeah, you gotta love kids. They can’t act, they can’t lie very well, they smell funny, and, oh, yes, they can’t sing for shit. So here we have The Bantams, the 1960’s counterpart of Old Skull. So what’s the big difference? Well, notably, the fact that they can play their instruments—or allegedly play their instruments. I’ll admit I’m a little skeptical and will remain so until I actually see a video of them playing. However, they were on Warner Brothers, scored a minor hit, and supposedly did live gigs, so I have to give them the benefit of the doubt. But the singing? Ahem…yeah….not so great. And, unlike Old Skull, they didn’t write their own stuff and the entire LP is all cover songs. Probably a bad argument to support my case for sixties rock, but this is still a great novelty record or a great tool for clearing a room, depending on how you look at it!
THE BANTAMS
LINER NOTES
SAMPLE TRACKS:
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Janet Greene – “Fascist Threat / Commie Lies” 7″ (1966)
Hailing from Hamilton, OH, home of Chem Dyne, Janet Greene was a local TV star that wound up with the dubious honor of becoming one of the more infamous and interesting propaganda tools for the John Birch Society. Typically, I don’t own the picture sleeve for this one and it’s a real shame because the gal wasn’t too hard on the eyes and who could resist a cute little chick crooning right wing propaganda—certainly not Mr. Poopy! Unfortunately, the majority of America didn’t care for her for some reason, but she managed to cut a few singles before deciding she’d had enough. I’ve heard them all and this was the best thing she ever did. While Janet may have been the only touring act sponsored by the JBS, they did at least one other music-related piece of propaganda in the form of a comedy lounge act, fronted by another female singer named Wini Beatty backed by Rhett Fink and The Folkniks. I own the record, but you can trust me when I say it isn’t nearly as witty as it sounds—otherwise, I’d post it!
Janet Greene
THE TRACKS:
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Lori Burton – “Breakout” LP (1967)
Another “guilty pleasure” here, I guess, but I think this one has universal appeal, nonetheless. At the very least, it provides me the chance of accusing the naysayer of not having a dick instead of no sense of humor. So who decided it was sexy for a female vocalist to sound like she’s singing through her nose? Not me—the female vocalists of today are fucking terrible and so are the mentally retarded imbeciles who write their shit music. No, Lori Burton had a husky, sensuous set of heavy pipes, filtered through a New York City accent, with just a touch of sleaze and snarl. The gal could write a song, as well, and this LP was a showcase of tunes she wrote with another female songwriter named Pam Sawyer. Actually, both women went on to more successful songwriting careers writing for Motown, several individual groups such as Young Rascals, and doing session work with some of the biggest names in the business, while this record tanked and has remained relatively obscure. There are some nice, unappreciated gems on here that deserve a brighter place in the sun. Boyd Rice later featured “Love Was” on his “Music For Pussycats” compilation and the entire LP was remixed and briefly re-issued on CD with a handful of Disco songs she did in the 70’s that, apparently, aren’t so great.
What we have on this LP are some late 60’s Soul / Pop / Rock songs, done in the style of the time, short and sweet, sung by a white chick. A couple of the songs are a little kitchy and sound like a rip-off of other hits of the day, while others are excellent, with songs like “Gotta Make You Love Me”, “Love Was”, “Nightmare”, and “Gotta Get Over You” topping the list. Sadly, as the younger generations of music listeners appear to have no interest in this sort of thing, these songs are probably doomed to fade into oblivion, although I wouldn’t be surprised if, forty years from now, some nursing home attendant found herself prying this LP from my cold, dead hands.
SAMPLE TRACKS:
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