(2010, download, - , crossfire publications)
(2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications)

various artists

paul buff presents the pal and original sound studio archives, vol.11
   
- 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

  1. paul buff: circus time

  2. mr. clean: mr. clean

  3. terri & the velveteens: i'm waiting (single version)

  4. johnny barakat and the vestells: long ride

  5. johnny fortune: stolen moments

  6. paul buff: funny (version 2)

  7. the pharos: pintor

  8. johnny barakat and the vestells: (ghost) riders in the sky

  9. the bongo teens: la gran ola (heavies - without surf effects)

  10. thee sixpence: fortune teller

  11. paul buff: darling it's true (version 1)

  12. the hollywood persuaders: persuasion (single version)

  13. paul conrad (paul buff): chocolate milk

  14. paul conrad (paul buff): one night alone

  15. johnny fortune: the battle of jericho (take 1)

  16. the hollywood persuaders: agua caliente (hot water) (single version)

  17. the pal studio band: never on sunday (1961 version)

  18. thee sixpence: heart full of rain

  19. indescribably delicious: baby i love you

  20. the buff organization: studio 'a' (version 7)

  21. indescribably delicious: in too deep

  22. paul buff: robin

 

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.

Version #7 of The Buff Organization's "Studio 'A'" is a little different than the final single version, and it's interesting to hear how Paul Buff, the song mechanic, kept tinkering with the song until he was satisfied with it. Closing out this volume is Buff's "Robin." It's a private moment that only a father and his child can appreciate!