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I suspect like so many genre loons, I first stumbled on Shreveport's Southern Soul singer par excellence Elbert Giles as late as October 2008 when his name popped up on Disc 1 of that year's reissue sensation - "Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977".
That card-wrapped Ace Records 3CD Hardback-Booked Set (on KENT BOX 10) would quickly become 'Reissue of the Year' for many in 2008 - and there was Eddy Giles holding pride of place on Track 8, CD1. His understated but 'has something' weep and moan debut 45 "Losin' Boy" on Murco Records 1031 being one of the many gems on offer.
Flicking his guitar, its shuffling 1967 sway-rhythms backed up by the Saxophone of James Steward and that great guttural voice Giles had, saw lyrics like "...I'm like Ray Charles, I guess I was born to lose..." create a slow storm of Dallas sales. A few months later it break through the local R&B charts all the way to No. 1 jostling with such legendary titles as "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. Sadly despite many thousands of local 45-single sales, Eddy "G" Giles (as some of his releases credited him) never did see National R&B chart action not achieve an album release. But that doesn't stop this superb little 2014 CD compilation from being so impressive.
So what's on the menu? Six of its eighteen cuts are new Extended Versions (Tracks 3, 8 and 14) while three are Previously Unissued (Tracks 16, 17 and 18). You get 12 single-sides and even a post-released rarity from a year 2000 CD compilation - all of it mastered from well-kept master tapes. Let's get to the tinglin' details...
UK released 11 October 2014 (27 October 2014 in the USA) - "Southern Soul Boy: The Murco Recordings 1967-1969" by EDDY GILES on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 401 (Barcode 029667240123) is an 18-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (48:57 minutes):
1. Losin' Boy (February 1967 US 45-single on Murco 1031, A-side)
2. I Got The Blues (February 1967 US 45-single on Murco 1031, B-side of "Losin' Boy")
3. Don't Let Me Suffer (Previously Unissued Extended Version of Murco 1033, 1967 US 45-single, A-side)
4. While I'm Away (Baby, Keep The Faith) (1967 US 45-single on Murco 1033, B-side of "Don't Let Me Suffer")
5. Eddy's Go-Go Train (July 1967 US 45-single on Murco 1034, A-side - B-side reissued "While I'm Away" from 1033, just with a shortened title)
6. Happy Man (1967 US 45-single on Murco 1037, A-side)
7. Music (1967 US 45-single on Murco 1037, B-side to "Happy Man")
8. Baby Be Mine (Previously Unissued Extended Version of Murco 1042, March 1968 US 45-single A-side)
9. Love With A Feeling (March 1968 US 45-single on Murco 1042, B-side of "Baby Be Mine")
10. Soul Feeling (Part 1) (July 1968 US 45-single on Murco 1048, A-side)
11. Soul Feeling (Part 2) (July 1968 US 45-single on Murco 1048, B-side)
12. Ain't Gonna Worry No More (1969 US 45-single on Murco 1053, A-side)
13. Tingling (1969 US 45-single on Murco 1053, B-side of "Ain't Gonna Worry No More")
14. That's How Long My Love Is (Extended Version of the 1969 US 45-single Silver Fox SF-9, A-side, first issued on the February 2000 CD compilation "Shreveport Southern Soul" on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 178)
15. So Deep in Love (July 1969 US 45-single on Silver Fox SF-9, B-side of "That's How Long My Love Is")
16. Pins And Needles (2014, Previously Unissued)
17. It Takes More (2014, Previously Unissued)
18. Ain't Gonna Worry No More (2014, Previously Unissued Alternate Version)
All Tracks in MONO
Tracks 1 and 2 plus 14 to 18 credited to EDDY GILES
Tracks 3, 4 and 5 credited to EDDY "G" GILES and The Jive Five
Tracks 6 to 13 credited to EDDY "G" GILES
The 16-page booklet features detailed DEAN RUDLAND liner notes that include a new interview with our hero - now the Reverend Eddy Giles who does a Gospel Hour on Shreveport Radio (pictured as such on Page 4). Stock and Demo copies of those rare Murco US 45s are peppered across the text alongside a concert poster, signed publicity shot and a fabulous black and white 'live show' photo from 1967 where Eddy and his band play in front of a multi-cultural crowd of dancing hipsters. It's the usual classy affair from England's Ace and the NICK ROBBINS Remasters from real tapes are the same - punchy and kicking Mono that actually feels more alive for its slight amateurishness rather than homemade. To the tunes...
March 2015 would see two tunes from this October 2014 set turn up on other Ace/Kent Soul Soul-based CD compilations - "Tingling" on "Modernists: A Decade Of Rhythm And Soul Dedication" (CDKEND 431) and "Pins And Needles" on "Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities Volume 5" (CDKEND 432). And it is easy to hear why, both with a sort of lovely almost naivety feel to them that fans love. That lost my baby lurch fills the cool B-side "I Got The Blues" – his guitar work so Robert Cray – tight and lean as he licks those notes.
Murco's follow-up to the popular "Losin' Boy" was "Don't Let Me Suffer" presented here as an extended version - 3:31 minutes as opposed to the original 2:45 minutes of the 1967 single. I'd rate it as good rather than great, but that slight disappointment is quickly offset by the organ-led Soul of "While I'm Away" which might have been called "Keep The Faith" for the number of times those words are used in the chorus. "While I'm Away" is properly gorgeous homegrown Southern Soul and features a duet vocal with Charles Brown of The Violinaires - the song subtly referencing US GIs away in Vietnam pining for their ladies/wives back home.
Time to bop and get ready - let's ride on "Eddy's Go-Go Train" - an organ-driven groover aimed firmly at the feet rather than the heart. Giles then slows it down to the church-lurch of "Happy Man" informing us that his baby is a winning hand and the big "G" can no longer lose (sweet tune man). Obviously trying for the Stax Records dancers market, “Soul Feeling” Parts 1 and 2 sound just like its Blues Brother title suggests. Time to don the shades and cartwheel down the aisles. Similar and something of a fab find is the brassy bopper that is "It Takes More" - the best of the three excellent Unreleased cuts. I'm fairly sure that Northern Soul stormer will be gracing something out of the Kent Soul camp soon enough.
Its playing time may seem short and for sure Eddy "G" Giles is not exactly a household name in any circles never mind Southern Soul - but this CD has been a revelation. Typically cool and on the money - Kent Soul gives the man his due with style...
