Rarities from the Golden Age of Instrumental Rock’n’Roll by the Ventures, Nokie Edwards’ Marksmen, Velvetones, Chancellors, Mus-Twangs and many more, including a whopping 14 previously unissued tracks. Limited edition of 1500.
Yes, it’s another bonanza for instrumental devotees with 14 never-before-released tracks and 10 elusive high-quality rarities! Fans of the Ventures should be especially excited because there are four previously unheard tracks: ‘Louisiana’, an original planned to be on their “Play The Country Classics”; ‘Blue Money’, which was considered for their “New Testament” album; an alternative version of ‘Blue Tail Fly’; and the finished take of ‘Downtown’. If that’s not enough, how about three never-issued titles from Nokie Edwards’ early 60s group the Marksmen? You can hear Nokie’s original blueprint for ‘Sunny River’, plus his take on the Shadows’ ‘Peace Pipe’ and his charming original ‘Nokie’s Fenokey’.
If you remember the Mus-Twangs’ brace of brilliant sax and guitar rompers from 1961 and would like some more, you are in luck, as we have the previously unreleased and completely thrilling group composition ‘Wolf Pack’, plus the moody ‘Zanzibar’ from the pen of Poco’s Paul Cotton. There’s also Mike Gordon (of the Marketts and Routers) with ‘Swing The Mess Around’, which rocks energetically from beginning to end.
We have put in a special effort for surf fans with unreleased titles from the Velvetones with a knockout blast through the old standard “Jericho”, the Ramrods’ dark and heavy ‘Zombie Surfer’, and Ed Burkey’s thrilling ‘Whitewater Wipe Out’. There is also the very rare ‘Mach 1’ taken at the speed of light by the Chancellors, which comes with a never-before-published potted history of the band in the booklet. Likewise, you can browse the story of the Road Runners for the first time anywhere while thrilling to their classic ‘Road Runnah’. There’s an unusual surf treatment of ‘Harlem Nocturne’ by the Music City Swingers and French-Canadian band Les Jaguars tear through ‘Guitare Jet’ with Arthur Cossette’s dynamic guitar work shredding many of his better-known rivals.
Many other twanging delights await – such as the Johnny & the Hurricanes-inspired ‘Mirage’ from the Night Caps, a Duane Eddy-like romp through ‘Red Wing’ by the Carnations, the sweet confection of the Lemon Drops’ Canadian Capers”, the gritty groove of Cecil Moore & the Notes’ ‘Diamond Back’, and two madcap jaunts through the crazy world of the Zanies with ‘Russian Roulette’ and ‘Claire De Looney’.
DAVE BURKE
