THROWBACK THURSDAY: In Praise of Ray Collins

 

Ray Collins, the original lead singer of The Mothers of Invention, was born on this day, November 17, 1936.

Happy birthday, Ray.

Collins died in 2012 at the age of 76.

After dropping out of high school (he'd gotten his girlfriend pregnant) Collins, the son of a Pomona police officer, started singing with an R&B covers band called The Soul Giants in Pomona, Cal. Among its members were drummer Jimmy Carl Black (a former New Mexico resident) and Roy Estrada on bass. And following a dispute with The Soul Giants' guitarist, Collins recruited a guy named Frank Zappa, who shared his love for old R&B and Doo-Wop, along with his sense of musical adventurousness. 

Collins had a great background in doo-wop. He sang with local L.A. favorite Little Julian Herrera & The Tigers. You can hear his vocals on Herrera's "I Remember Linda."

Collins and Zappa, who had been friends since 1961, engaged in a side project called Ned & Nelda. This 1963 parody of the hit "Hey Paula" definitely was a pre-cursor to Ruben & The Jets.

Collins and Zappa co-wrote a song called "Memories of El Monte," which was recorded in 1963 by The Penguins. It wasn't nearly as big as the group's best-known song, "Earth Angel," but it's still pretty bitchen.

Zappa slowly took over The Soul Giants, which mutated into The Mothers of Invention. Here's a tune from The Mothers' first album, Freak Out (which later was re-recorded for Cruising With Ruben & The Jets.)

And here's the lead track of the Mothers' second album, Absolutely Free.

But tensions between Collins and Zappa were growing during this period. According to a 2009 interview with Collins in The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: 

[Collins] "had been ambivalent about the Mothers ever since Zappa relocated the band from Pomona to Hollywood to pursue a record deal. ... Quitting became a running joke.

"`I think I [quit] four times, maybe,' Collins says. "I didn't like doing that stuff onstage. Too much comedy, too much making fun of stuff. ...  I wanted to make beautiful music. I was raised on Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole.' "

Collins did quit the band after Absolutely Free, but came back to sing on Cruising with Ruben & The Jets. 

But I don't think Johnny Mathis done it this way.

Ruben & The Jets turned out to be the last gasp of Collins' music career. 

In the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin interview, Collins said, "People will ask why it's been 40 years since I've been onstage. I don't know ... If you just enjoy life it's conducive to not being successful. You know what I mean? I just enjoy life."

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 15, 2020
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Get Thee Gone by Geraldine Fibbers

Teaching You the Fear by The Bellrays

122 Hours of Fear by Archie & The Bunkers

Plenty Wrong to Go Awry by Churchwood

Outta My Mind by The King Khan & BBQ Show

Rom Say Sok by Dengue Fever

(Background Music: Progmorphious by Alien Space Kitchen)

Mojo Workout by King Salami & The Cumberland 3

A Certain Guy by Mary Weiss

Jungle Rock by The Replacements

Keep Your Kitten Inside by Dirty Fences

I Don’t Know by The Hipshakes

I Love You by Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers

Badman by The Oblivians

Let it Slide by Shrunken Heads

Angel on the Road by X

Ping’s Chinese Restaurant by Harvey McLaughlin

(Background Music: Project Zero by The Bomboras)

Bella Donna by Goshen

Nightmare by The Cavemen

Buried Next to You by Hipbone Slim & The Knee-Trembers

Normal People Worry Me by Help Me Devil

Speedway by Elvis Presley

When You’re Hot, You’re Hot by Jerry Reed

Queen of My Heart by Big Sandy

The Inhuman by Mekons

Lady in Red by King Shark

They’re Coming to Take Me Away by Butcher Babies

(Background Music: Hoodoo by Johnny Dowd)

’Til the Following Night by Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages 

Must Be Desire by Mojo JuJu

The Faker by Ty Segall

A Good Song by Swamp Dogg

My Shit’s Fucked Up by Warren Zevon

The Band Played On by Richard Thompson & Christine Collister

Rag Doll by Steeleye Span

I Know You Are There by The Handsome Family

CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

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WACKY WEDNESDAY: Celebrating Screaming Lord Sutch

 

Yesterday, Tuesday Nov. 10, 2020, would have been the 80th birthday of graveyard rocker and titular head of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party David Edward Sutch. That's Screaming Lord Sutch to you.

Sutch, who took his own life in 1999, was, along with another screamer, Jay Hawkins, an early pioneer of mixing horror with rock 'n' roll. His early singles were produced by British iconoclast Joe Meek. According to Discogs, the Lord's very first single, in 1961, was a cover of Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly." But he became far better known for songs like "She's Fallen In Love With The Monster Man," "Monster In Black Tights," "Murder in the Graveyard" and his best known song, "Jack the Ripper."

Spurred by his fame in the U.K., Sutch launched his first campaign for British Parliament in 1963, under the banner of something called the National Teenage Party. He didn't win any of those races. Then in 1982, Sutch and Alan "Howling Laud" Hope created the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, still active today. The party's official motto is "Vote Insanity." Some might argue that the U.S. Republican Party has coopted Official Monster Raving Loony Party values in that respect. But I won't go there.)

Sutch didn't win any elections as a OMRLP candidate. Obviously a victim of voter fraud by the Deep State. That's probably a good thing. But still, for those with ears to hear, Screamin' Lord Sutch's music lives on.

Here's one of his classic monster raving loony tunes,"All Black and Hairy":

Apparently the Lord had a deep desire to become Dracula's son-in-law.

Here's an early rock and blues classics, "Honey, Hush," performed by an early Sutch on French television in the '60s:

A bevy of late '60s British rock royalty -- John Bonham, Jeff Beck, Nicky Hopkins and Noel Redding -- joined the good Lord on his 1970 "comeback" album, Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends. The critics raved: "The album is regarded as a kind of Plan 9 from Outer Space of rock LPs: it's bad, but endearingly so ... " proclaimed Allmusic. "Many Led Zeppelin fans -- who bought this album when it was released on the heels of the first two Zep records -- have never forgiven Page for it."

Aw, what do they know?

And here's the song that made us all fall in love, "Jack the Ripper," live in '65:

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 8, 2020
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres 

This Time I Know I’m Right by Muck & The Mires

Bees of the Invisible by Churchwood

I’ll Be Back by Question Mark & The Mysterians

Jesus Christ Twist by Reverend Beat-Man

Are You a Wally by The Spartan Dreggs

The Money’s Rolling In by Alien Space Kitchen

Fever by Bandemic

It’s a Sin by Alejandro Escovedo

(Background Music: James Bond Theme by Davie Allan & The Arrows)

Don’t Slander Me by The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies

Starvation Dance by The Hickoids

Another Person by Jay Reatard

Prissy Missy by King Salami & The Cumberland 3

Conjure Man by Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds

Brain Dead by Sons of Hercules

Arrow Pierce Horror by LoveStruck

He Sure Could Hypnotize by The A-Bones

Naked Party by Ross Johnson with The Gibson Bros.

(Background Music: James Bond Medley by The Stylers)

By My Side by The Dirtbombs

Junk by The Cynics

Oh, How To Do Now by The Monks

Baby, I’m Your Dog by Stomping’ Nick & His Blues Grenade

Give Me Back My Wig by Hound Dog Taylor

Horse With No Water by The Frontier Circus

I Was Drunk by Bobby Bare

(Background Music: James Bond Theme by John Barry Orchestra)

Bad Boy by Martha Fields

Lover’s Hell by Merle Kilgore

Bus Station Blues by Little Freddie King

Sharkey’s Day by Laurie Anderson

What Kind of Fool Am I by Grandpaboy

CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

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Go to The Big Enchilada Podcast which has hours and hours of music like this. CLICK HERE

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TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 1, 2020
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres

The New Fangled Maple Leaf Rag by The Hickoids

Aim Tastes Good by Mudhoney

I Couldn't Spell !!*@! by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs

All I Want is More by Kathy Freeman with The Auto Pilot Club

My Little Problem by The Replacements with Johnette Napolitano

Do You Call That a Buddy by Martin, Bogan & The Armstrongs

(Background Music: Guitar Boogie Shuffle by Bert Weedon)

Plenty to Go Awry by Churchwood

Ghosts on Mars by Harvey McLaughlin

Ship Sailed at Six by Barrence Whitfield & The Savages

You Bring Me Down by Jonny Manak & The Depressives

We’re Gone by Thee Headcoats

Wild Hog Rhyde by The Angry Samoans

Big Star by Ghost Wolves

Crazy Suzy by Ron Haydock & The Boppers

Bits and Pieces by Joann Jett & The Blackhearts

Any Way You Want It by The Ramones

I Like it Like That by Chris Kenner

Because by Dave Clark FIve

(Background Music: Pig Meat by Baby Sticks & The Kingtones)

Ill Wind by DiNOLA

Marijuana Logic by Pocket FishRmen

Hey, Hey, We’re The Gories by The Gories

Granny Panties by Broomdust Caravan

Carry On by The Del-Lords

Lawd I’m Just a Country Boy in This Great Big Freaky City by Alvin Youngblood Hart

I’m Going to Give It to Mary With Love by Loudon Wainwright III

(Background Music: On Approach by Pell Mell)

Honky Tonk Heroes by Billy Joe Shaver

Where Do You Want It by Dale Watson

So Far Gone by Alien Space Kitchen

Honey Hush by Johnny Burnette Rock ’n’ Roll Trio

The Snake by Johnny Rivers 

La Feria De La Flores by Los Lobos

Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero by Rene y Rene

Days of 49 by Steve Young

Mr. Bojangles by Jerry Jeff Walker

CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

Like the Terrell's Sound World Facebook page


    Want to keep the party going after I sign off at midnight?
Go to The Big Enchilada Podcast which has hours and hours of music like this. CLICK HERE

Subscribe to The Big Enchilada Podcast CLICK HERE