John Zacherley
Dinner With Drac – UK LONDON / Cameo USA John Zacherley was an American TV host who specialised in horror spoof rock’n roll. Definitely a novelty, could have been where Boris Pickett got his ideas?
Novelty
The High Keys
QUE SERA SERA Que sera sera ‘whatever will be will be’ was a big hit for Doris Day! A cover of the Doris Day track by The High Keys was a big hit with the original Soul Fans at the Twisted Wheel and the all the soul clubs in Manchester and the surrounding areas in … Read more
Otis Redding Junior
Tweety & Silvester (Atlantic?) Otis Redding Junior brought out a single a year or so after his fathers death, called ‘Tweety and Sylvester’. It was played quite a few times at the Twisted Wheel Manchester. But I may have the title wrong. All trace of it seems to have disappeared! ‘Tribute To A King’ … Read more
Los Canarios
3-2-1-Ah / Get On Your Knees – UK MAJOR-MINOR /USA CALLA “Three-Two-One Ah”/”What Can I Do For You” (Major Minor MM 502) UK 1967 Los Canarios were Spanish soul stompers from the Canary Islands! It was the ‘B’ side that did it: “Get On Your Knees”. Eventually they dropped R n B in favour of … Read more
Hollywood Argyles
Alley Oop Oop -1960 The Hollywood Argyles were a band that never really existed. They were session musicians but this novelty song proved to be a big success, along the lines of a typical Coasters number. A novelty number, it has been covered many times including by Ray Stevens and Darlene Love. The Hollywood Argyles … Read more
Gene Pitney
Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa Written By Burt Bacharach (Music) – Hal David (Lyrics) YouTube Gene Pitney – Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, a track that was played in the early days at The first Manchester (Brazennose St.) Twisted Wheel. Born 17th February 1941 – Hartford, ConnecticutDied 5th April, 2006 in Cardiff, Wales aged 65 whilst … Read more
Anita Wood – Singer who was Elvis’ Girlfriend
Dream Baby / This Has Happened Before – WI 328 Sep. 1964 US Santo UK: Sue Records: 1964 One of Anita Wood’s claims to fame apart from releasing Dream Baby is that she used to be Elvis Presley’s girlfriend from 1957 to 1962. She gave up her budding acting career to carry on with the … Read more
Bull and The Matadors
The Funky Judge – 1968 on Toddlin’ Town Records Move With the Groove Bull and The Matadors were a Chicago – based group consisting of James Lafayette Parks (a.k.a. Jamell Bull Parks), Milton Hayes, and James Otis Love. (Another group named Bull & the El Capalaras recorded for Bell Records in 1971-72 but are a … Read more
Boris Pickett
MONSTER MASH – London 1962 Bob `Boris’ Picket – Early days, and many records were played at the original to become soul scene clubs, even so this totally brilliant and funny . Born 11th February 1940 – Georgetown, Texas Died 25th April 2007 – Los Angeles Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett specialised in the ever popular novelty records which … Read more
Bill Cosby
He had a top 20 hit Why Is There Air? in 1965 Little Old Man Bill Cosby – Funky North Philly (WB) – Say what? Cliff Huxtable gets down? Right on my brothers. Not many folks are hip to the fact that from the mid-60’s to the mid-70’s the Cos had a shadow career making … Read more