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| (2010, download, - , crossfire publications) |
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| (2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications) |
paul buff presents the pal and
original sound studio archives, vol.11
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feat.contributions by frank zappa
| 2010 | download | - | crossfire publications |
re-releases
(2011, flash-drive, usa,
crossfire publications) =
the complete 35 album series, with bonus liner notes on pdf and 56 extra tracks
various tracks recorded by
paul buff:
circus time
mr.
clean: mr. clean
terri
& the velveteens: i'm waiting (single version)
johnny barakat and the
vestells:
long ride
johnny
fortune: stolen moments
paul buff:
funny (version 2)
the
pharos: pintor
johnny barakat and the
vestells:
(ghost) riders in the sky
the bongo teens:
la gran ola (heavies - without surf effects)
thee sixpence:
fortune teller
paul buff:
darling it's true (version 1)
the hollywood
persuaders:
persuasion (single version)
paul conrad (paul
buff):
chocolate milk
paul conrad (paul
buff):
one night alone
johnny
fortune: the battle of jericho (take 1)
the hollywood
persuaders:
agua caliente (hot water) (single version)
the pal studio band:
never on sunday (1961 version)
thee sixpence:
heart full of rain
indescribably
delicious: baby i love you
the buff
organization:
studio 'a' (version 7)
indescribably
delicious: in too deep
liner notes by Greg Russo:
Welcome to Volume 11 of Paul Buff's 20-volume series of
recordings from Pal Studios and Original Sound Studios! Pal Records was a record
company run by his mother Olivia and stepfather Ward Allen. After Paul Buff was
honorably discharged from the military, he finished putting together Pal Studios
in December 1957. The studio costs were $12.50/hour for mono recording and
$15/hour for stereo. Local musicians booked the studio to make recordings of
their rehearsals and repertoire. When Pal Records wound itself down in mid-1959,
Paul Buff created his first record label - Emmy. Other labels (Plaza, Yukon and
Vigah!) would follow shortly thereafter. The music presented on this series was
released on extremely rare records that would literally cost thousands if you
can find them. In addition, there are many unreleased tracks spanning from 1960
to 1969. Paul Buff is now making them available again for everyone to
appreciate.
This volume starts out a little differently, with a
brief Paul Buff organ piece destined for use in the circus - hence, it's title
"Circus Time." It nicely goes into Mr. Clean's "Mr. Clean,"
written by Frank Zappa. Yes, this Mr. Clean guy was dark-skinned with an
earring! The record was licensed to Original Sound for release in 1964.
Terri And The Velveteens did all their recordings at
Pal Studios, and "I'm Waiting" was released as an A-side on the tiny
Arc label. It was the second time that they recorded the song. The first take
was a demo without any backing vocals, but the second, more compact take had
plenty of vocal backing. The B-side was "La Flor," one of the handful
of tracks in Spanish done at Pal. If you wanted to make a record, Paul Buff
recorded anyone and everyone!
Johnny Fortune's "Stolen Moments" is yet
another unissued master that he did. The tape was not in the best shape, but
it's very enjoyable despite the ravages of time. Johnny also did two versions of
the traditional song "The Battle Of Jericho," and the first unissued
version has been included here. That tape was in really good condition! And now,
for the mysterious Jack Irvin...
Oh yes, Jack Irvin was the pseudonym that Dave Aerni
used when producing a record that he released himself or that he licensed to
another label. The latter was the case here, as an early edition of The Rhythm
Surfers known as The Pharos did a surf version of the Spanish classic
"Pintor." Aerni, as Mr. Irvin, licensed the disc to Del-Fi.
"Pintor" is yet another highly regarded surf instrumental. The B-side
was "Rhythm Surfer," which will turn up on Volume 17. The Pharos
changed personnel and became The Rhythm Surfers, which cut the Daytone single
"502 (Like Getting Pinched On A 502)"/ "Big City Surfer."
Those tracks are covered elsewhere!
Paul Buff would occasionally record something that was
so out-of-whack that people didn't know what to make of it! Such is the case
with "Funny," the story of a relationship that takes a surprising turn
toward its end. The first version of "Darling It's True" is much more
serious and conventional, but Paul's single as Paul Conrad ("Chocolate
Milk"/ "One Night Alone") was clearly done to generate smiles
and/or laughs! "Chocolate Milk" is the same recording as the one that
sounded like a truck went over the record on Volume 1! However, this one is
cleaned up quite a bit from the only existing copy of the disc (thanks to Dino
Dupree!). The same is true for "One Night Alone."
The third and final unissued Johnny Barakat & The
Vestells track, a cover of Stan Jones' "(Ghost) Riders In The Sky," is
probably the most stunning of the three. Also unusual is The Bongo Teens'
version of "La Gran Ola," which is what "Heavies" was called
when it was released in Mexico! The title translates to "The Big
Wave," but there are no sound effects on the Mexican version.
The biggest selling record that Paul Buff engineered
while at Original Sound Studios was Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Incense And
Peppermints." Before they were SAC, the group was known as Thee Sixpence
and they released four singles for All-American. Their most popular track,
"Fortune Teller," appeared as the A-side of their second single
(released October 1966) and the B-side on the second pressing of their final
single "Heart Full Of Rain" (January 1967). Both "Fortune
Teller" and "Heart Full Of Rain" are here.
"Fortune Teller" was written by Allen
Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville, and it was covered frequently by
British groups like The Rolling Stones. Thee Sixpence's version is completely
solid - direct and to the point. "Heart Full Of Rain" was written by
Thee Sixpence's new keyboardist Mark Weitz, but their manager Bill Holmes gave
himself sole credit for writing it. A later, heavy arrangement of the song was
done by Big Brother Featuring Ernie Joseph, and Ernie put his name on the song
with Holmes! It was not until after further personnel changes that Thee Sixpence
went onto brief fame and fortune as Strawberry Alarm Clock.
The single version of The Hollywood Persuaders'
"Persuasion" is very rare. When the "Drums A-Go-Go" album
was prepared in 1965, Paul Buff recorded a more up-to-date version of the song
for the LP. So, this poor orphan didn't have a home until the recent Hollywood
Persuaders reissues! Here is the mono single mix. Another rare single mix,
"Agua Caliente (Hot Water)," has also been included. It was originally
released as the B-side of "Drums A-Go-Go" in 1965.
The January 1961 Pal Studio Band version of Frank
Zappa's "Never On Sunday" (later: "Take Your Clothes Off When You
Dance") is up next. Joining Zappa on guitar were drummer Chuck Glave,
bassist Caronga Ward, alto sax player Tony Rodriquenz, trumpeter Chuck Foster
and pianist Danny Helferin. This mix presents the track with a full intro and
ending without crossfades.
Indescribably Delicious was formed in 1965 in Torrance,
California when members of The Bountymen got together with members of the group
Darkwaters. They ended up opening concerts for biggies like Steppenwolf and The
Yardbirds. Bountymen vocalist Jim Conroy did the same honors for Indescribably
Delicious, and the band cut enough tracks for an unreleased All-American album
test pressing in 1968. Released at the time was the Indescribably Delicious
single "Baby I Love You"/ "Brother, Where Are You." The
Jerry Ragovoy-written A-side was a pop number highlighted by a brass arrangement
reminiscent of Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood" from 1966. The flipside
was featured on Volume 10. Greg Munford helped out on vocals and keyboards, as
he did at numerous All-American sessions held at Original Sound. One of the
tracks that Greg sang on and co-wrote was "In Too Deep," which appears
in an unreleased, longer version. Indescribably Delicious splintered when some
members joined Strawberry SAC.