"Make Mine Mondo! 2" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – 28-Tracks from 1954 to 1967 of Fuzzed Out Garage Bands - Manic Instrumentals and Wayward Rockabillies on the Dore Label and its Subsidiaries (November 2024 UK Ace Records CD Compilation with Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Mine-Mondo-Various-Artists/dp/B0DKG3595W?crid=2M9A3Q120A5K8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hTVB7TX1BVrdh1fkzJ9QzBIdDm7181qZiTcxQOp6qdxQpt79TGUl2vVx3AbPuBOyYF20EyyGJsXlDXM5kqL7K8iejviFkeVpF0_JiXAZZ_24Q6UsUK3L0n6uMxkE3ZbX.NINVYlTDmSWMyCjErEnyTjZf4a75uonnJ9FYkKZzdjY&dib_tag=se&keywords=make+mind+mondo+2&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1732730819&sprefix=make+mine+mondo+2%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1-fkmr2&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=ba98bdb7dbb374bdce16b2573ae64a61&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

RATINGS: 

Overall ****

Presentation ****

Audio *** to ****

"...Hullee Gullee..."

June 2018's mad as a wine-drinking Euro bureaucrat "Make Mine Mondo!" CD compilation from Ace Records concentrated primarily on the Doré Records label – a US 50ts and 60ts independent with a seriously eclectic roster.

That 2018 Volume 1 offered up nearly 68-minutes of wildly adventurous styles and largely unknown names (part genius, part yeah-baby nuttiness) – lambasting our lavishly creamy and unsuspecting fragilities with Fifties and Sixties Garage, Rockabilly, off-centre Instrumentals, Fuzz Guitar Psych, Doom Girl Groups, the occasional surfing tune and much more (1958 to 1969) - nearly all of which worked and entertained like the beautifully presented liner notes promised it would.

Well, what we get here (a full six years later) is Volume 2 for November 2024 - this time covering 1954 to 1967. "Make Mine Mondo! 2" offers up the same butt-wobbling array of drunken Rock 'n' Rollers, yee-haw Rockabillies, unhinged instrumentals and fuzz-guitar loopers - but this time on an array of different labels orbiting around Doré - Flip, Acree, Era, Mira, Rayjack, Downey, Bamboo, Daytone and more. Only one of these Non-LP As and Bs is a returning name from Volume 1 (The Zanies) – the others are often so obscure, there are barely images for them should you do a Net search. Rare and Rocking indeed. Time for Beaver Patrol, Voodoo Doll and The Outlaw Blues (they got their Mojo working I can tell you) – to the details...

UK released Friday, 29 November 2024 - "Make Mine Mondo! 2" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace/Records CDTOP 1642 (Barcode 029667111829) is a 28-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (66:59 minutes):

1. Clap Your Hands – AMBERTONES (December 1965 US 7" single on Rayjack 1001, A-side - Reissued January 1966 on Newman 601, A-side)

2. Slander - TY WAGNER (November 1966 US 7" single on Era 3168, A-side)

3. Viet Nam – BOBBY JAMESON (1965 US 7" single on Mira 208, A-side)

4. By Bye Baby (My Pride) – SHANK And MAYDIEA (August 1962 US 7" single on Flip 45-361, A-side)

5. Beaver Patrol – THE BLAZERS (July 1963 US 7" single on Acree 101, A-side)

6. Café Bohemia – THE ENCHANTERS (1961 US 7" single on Bamboo Records 513, B-side of "Touch of Love")

7. I'm A Blind – THE WIZARD'S (May 1966 US 7" single on Era 3161, B-side of "I Want To Live")

8. The Voodoo Doll – BOBBY PLEASE & THE VOODOO DOLLS (1958 US 7" single on Flip 45-342, A-side)

9. Hurricane – CONRAD and THE HURRICANE STRINGS (December 1963 US 7" single on Daytone G-6401, A-side)

10. I Got My Mojo Working – JOYCE HARRIS & THE DAYLIGHTERS (Originally Unissued Domino Records recording first released on the 1997 UK CD Compilation "The Domino Records Story" on Ace Records CDCHD 506 – a Trailer Version of "I Got My Mojo Working" was also UK 45-single issued February 2024 on Ace Records NW 518 with the 1961 recording "No Way Out" as its B-side)

11. Crab Louie – THE SANDABS (July 1962 US 7" Single on Bamboo 522, B-side to "Beach Ball" by Little Herbie and The Sandabs on the A-side, Little Herbie is Herb Newman – reissued July 1963 on the B-side of Catch 107 credited to Little Herbie And The Wise Guys – A-side was "I Want My Beach Ball")

12. I Ain't Drunk – LONNIE "THE CAT" (April 1954 US 7" Single on RPM Records 45x410, A-side)

13. Red Hot Rockin' Blues – JESSE JAMES (September 1958 US 7" Single on Kent 45x314, B-side of "South's Gonna Rise Again")

14. The Wild Bird – THE JIVE-A-TONES (1958 US 7" Single on Fraternity F-823, A-side)

15. Jambo – CLAUDE McLIN (1963 US 7" Single on Mac-Jac Records MJR-1208, B-side of "Jacquelyn")

16. Stalled – THE ZANIES (June 1962 US 7" Single on Doré 638, A-side)

17. Hullee Gullee – FRED RICHARDS (April 1959 US 7" Single on Flip 45-344, B-side of "Barricade")

18. Non-Stop Blues – THE OUTLAW BLUES (January 1967 US 7" Single on Era 3171, A-side)

19. Sleepy Hollow – THE LAST WORD (June 1966 US 7" Single on Downey D-137, A-side)

20. Talk To Me Baby – DONNIE BOWSER (June 1961 US 7" Single on Bamboo 508, B-side of "Tomorrow")

21. Mumbles – JOHNNY BACHELOR (March 1959 US 7" Single on Era 1091, A-side – also issued March 1960 in the UK as a 45-single on London HLN 9074, A-side)

22. Soul Serenade – BEAU DOLLAR & THE COINS (1966 US 7" Single on Fraternity F-960, A-side – Produced by LONNIE MACK)

23. No Way Out – JOYCE HARRIS (January 1961 US 7" Single on Domino R-905, A-side – Reissued March 1961 in the USA on Infinity INX-005, A-side)

24. Tell Me Why – KICKS (1964 US 7" Single on X-P-A-N-D-E-D Sound X-102, B-side of "Oh My Baby (Always Be True)")

25. Don't Leave Me Baby – JOE LOVER And THE GAYLADS BAND (1960 US 7" single on Parliament P-1001, A-side – Reissued 1961 in the USA on Paxley P-754, A-side)

26. So What!! – THE LYRICS (November 1965 US 7" Single on Era 3153, B-side of "You Can't Hurt Me" – Reissued May 1968 in the USA on Feather 101, B-side of "Why'd He Go")

27. Church Key Twist – BOB VAUGHT & THE RENEGAIDS with Barbara Atkins (1962 US 7" Single on Impact 24-IM, A-side – Reissued May 1962 in the USA on Bamboo 520, A-side)

28. The Cave (Part1) – GARY 'Spider' WEBB (April 1961 US 7" Single on Bamboo 504, A-side)

NOTES:
All Tracks MONO except Tracks 3, 5, and 19 in STEREO

Volume 1 came with a 26-page booklet – Vol.2 has 20 – and again each page of the ROB FINNIS liner notes is peppered with those rare US 45-single labels, a Forbidden World magazine, trade reviews for the Fred Richards song, pictures of one-time Elvis Presley mentor and friend Jesse Lee Denson (aka Jesse James), Saxophonist Claude McLin (looking like Inspector Clouseau with Hat and Pipe), a Domino Records Promotional black and white for Etta James-soundalike Joyce Walker (there is a recent interview with the lady quoted) and Ohio Rockabilly hero Donnie Bowser getting his two-frantic-minutes of Rock and Roll B-side glory. 

Finnis knows his onions and what listeners want – his superlative liner notes illuminating histories on so many virtual unknowns while Ace's trusted Audio Engineer NICK ROBBINS delivers (as best he can) on a huge variety of Mono 7" singles (only 3 are in Stereo). It should be said – Mondo 2 is very far from Audiophile territory – these homemade productions reflecting their manic strung-together nature – but there is no doubting the punch they pack which I can't help think is exactly what Frat Boys like me want from a CD like this. To the music and its wild variety of genres...

Things begin with a manic tambourine-shaking brass-and-guitar blaster calling all hipsters to get their bellbottoms on and party. Not surprisingly called "Clap Your Hands" - The Ambertones were right on the zeitgeist money. An absolute garage monster – party mania slice number two follows with the wavering Hawaiian guitar sounds and screeching organ of Ty Wagner bemoaning his wayward girl and her big mouth in "Slander". Even better is the Bo Diddley-type sonic assault of Harmonica and Rhythm from Bobby Jameson doing his vocal and lyrical worst to "Viet Nam" – a fantastic frantic piece of social-conscious 60ts R&B. Things slinky-on-down with a clever duet vocal from Ed Wells (as Shank) and his sister Maydiea Cole (as Maydiea) – and as the liner notes – it is an oddly endearing performance that stays on the right side of lounge-cool.

Next up is the first instrumental of "Make Mind Mondo! 2" – Vern Acree, Jr. giving it some Link Wray Rumble-type guitar rat-a-tat attacks while Saxophonist Larry Robins (both in The Blazers) tries to keep up in their homemade and self-financed "Beaver Patrol. The Enchanters start out in their opening notes as a 50ts Vocal Group would – but suddenly about 20-seconds in "Café Bohemia" turns into a shimmy-shaker with echoed Tablas and lounge-lizard type Saxophones schmoozing the olive-laden martinis. So mid-60ts The Wizards and their "I'm A Blind" – remind me of melodious Kinks while the very funny novelty record "The Voodoo Doll" has our poor lead singer opening a box from his gal - who in a call-and-answer duet vocal assures him that the contents within will take only three days to make him hers (permanently – and is he freaked by that). More instrumental madness only this time with a decided Surf vibe - "Hurricane" by Conrad and His Hurricanes virtually dripping bikinis and beach bums riding the waves man.

A rip-roaring prize here is surely the Wanda Jackson/Judy Henske-like wail of Joyce Harris giving us the fab "I Got My Mojo Working" – an unreleased 60ts Rock and Roller first released in 1997 on an Ace CD. A clever follow comes in the fun-time Sax-driven shout and response what-do-you-want "Crab Louie". Rhythm and Blues comes in the form of a drink-denial Shopping For Clothes tune - "I Ain't Drunk" – Lonnie "The Cat" assuring us the he ain't high – he's just drinking! Another fantastic find for Rockabilly and Rock and Roll fans is the go-for-it-boys beat-basher "Red Hot Rockin' Blues" – a fast and furious B-side from Jesse James. Time for a shuffler that sounds like early Chuck Berry at Chess – only a very cool "The Wild Bird" is a guitar instrumental from The Jive-A-Tones. Sounding like a human Jew's Harp as he literally scats dings and dongs to an Organ and Drums bip-bop beat – Claude McLin is having a blast with "Jambo" – a fabulous inclusion. And the fun continues with the car-not-starting beep-beep of "Stalled" – another great bopping instrumental B-side from The Zanies. Shivering guitars hover a distant beatbox drumbeat in the eerily brill "Hullee Gullee" – Fred Richards earning his place. 

Hurtling towards the end run, we get another fuzz-guitar garage romper in the shape of the driving "Non-Stop Blues" – a head-shaker that has nothing to do with its misleading title. A lone bass note introduces yet another prize on here – the superb Stereo of "Sleepy Hollow" – The Last Word sounding like The Animals and Them combined as they try to convince us there is no headless horseman. Back to Rhythm and Blues Fats Domino rolling rhythm fun - "Talk To Me Baby" by Donnie Bowser - which is followed by the whisper in his ear baby "Mumbles" – dig that echoed Eddie Cochran type vocal. And on it goes with the fantastic Harmonica R&B of "So What!!" to the pleading Vocal Group vibe of "Don't Leave Me Baby" to the Bobby Boris & The Crypt Kickers echoed weirdness of "The Cave (Part 1)" where Jimmy and Julie keep calling out to each other but are lost in the dark.

I had thought that Volume 1 of "Make Mine Mondo!" was going to be a chore – but it wasn't – and to my weary ears – Volume 2 is even better. With so many genres vying for your attention, it's gotta be hard to make it all work and yet – once again – Ace Records have pulled it off. 

In short - "Make Mine Mondo! 2" is another wee nugget CD compilation (November 2024) from the worryingly disturbed minds of men who should know better over at Steele Road, London NW10. Recommended...

"Make Mine Mondo! From The Eccentric Dore Label" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Fuzzed Out Garage Bands - Manic Instrumentals - Wayward Rockabillies from 1958 to 1969 (June 2018 UK Ace Records CD Compilation with Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Almost 300 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3

- Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde, Underground

Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Country Rock and more

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Everybody Movin' Tonight..."

I've found the 'Dore' label to be a weird one. I bought and intensely disliked the 3CD set "The Dore Story: Postcards From Los Angeles 1958-1964" which Ace issued in January 2013. It looked and sounded the part for sure and Ace had a well-earned rep for rarely ever putting their reissue foot wrong - but to me the music was almost all awful despite presentation.

But then I bought and absolutely adored another Various Artists Ace compilation called "Dore L.A. Soul 2" on Kent CDKEND 433 that came out in June 2015 - a fabulous collection of Soul Sides, Northern Dancers and other shape-shifting goodies (see separate review).

So I approached June 2018's frankly mad as a wine-drinking Euro bureaucrat "Make Mine Mondo!" with a sense of caution mixed with a liberal dose of quiet panic/optimism. I needn't have fretted. Across nearly 68-minutes of wildly adventurous styles and largely unknown names (part genius, part yes-master nuttiness) – you're lambasted with Fifties and Sixties Pop, Garage, Rockabilly, Instrumentals, Fuzz Guitar Psych, Doom Girl Groups and much more (1958 to 1969) - nearly all of which works and entertains like the beautifully presented liner notes promises it will. "Make Mine Mondo!" indeed says the drunk on the barroom floor of the cover art. Here are Les Corvets trying to get satisfacto...

UK released 29 June 2018 (6 July 2018 in the USA) - "Make Mine Mondo! From The Eccentric Dore Label" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace/Records CDTOP 1521 (Barcode 029667088527) is a 28-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (67:23 minutes):

1. Gorilla Hunt - THE ALTECS (September 1962 US 7" single on Dore 649, A-side)

2. I'll Blow My Mind - SPENCER'S VAN DYKES [Vocal by Eddie Zarate] (December 1966 US 7" single on Dore 779, A-side)

3. The Mad Scientist - THE ZANIES (December 1958 US 7" single on Dore 515, A-side)

4. Satisfaction - LOS CORVETS (Ecuador Language Rolling Stones cover, 1968 US 7" single on Dore 818, A-side)

5. Meet The Bongo Man - JOHNNY O (April 1959 US 7" single on Dore 519, B-side to "Don't Run Johnny O")

6. Everybody's Movin' - THE DEBONAIRS (June 1964 US 7" single on Dore 712, A-side)

7. The Day Is Hard - THE WRENCH (June 1969 US 7" single on Dore 824, B-side of "You'll Understand")

8. Grandchus - BOBBY FRY (2018, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

9. TNT In A T-Shirt - THE REBELS (2018, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

10. Camel Walk - DAVID ALLAN & ARROWS [Issued as THE ZANIES] (1964 US 7" single on Dore 705, B-side of "Slinky")

11. Midnight Star - THE BRENTWOODS [aka The Misfits] (June 1960 US 7" single on Dore 559, B-side of "As I Live From Day To Day")

12. Yes, Master! - THE WHIPS (1958 US 7" single on Dore 45-502, A-side)

13. Shang-Dang-Doo - JOHNNY DURAIN and THE CYTONES (1962 US 7" single on Dore 624, B-side of "My Last Love")

14. My Baby's Barefoot - THE SYNDICATE (September 1965 US 7" single on Dore 743, A-side - see Track 26 for B-side)

15. Boogie Woogie Feeling - TONY CASANOVA (December 1959 US 7" single on Dore 535, B-side of "Showdown")

16. The Blob - THE ZANIES (October 1958 US 7" single on Dore 45-509, A-side)

17. Rock That Boogie - CHUCK MILES and THE STYLES (2018, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

18. You'll Understand - THE WRENCH (June 1969 US 7" single on Dore 824, A-side)

19. The Thief - MOTION (1967 US 7" single on Dore 781, A-side)

20. Leave Me Behind - THE SOUTH HAMPTON STORY (1968 US 7" single on Dore 811, A-side)

21. Midnight Beach Party - JOHNNY "Z" (April 1963 US 7" single on Dore 667, A-side)

22. She Touched My Soul - JOHN WINFIELD JR. (1966 US 7" single on Dore 765, A-side)

23. Seventh Son - BOBBY TROUP (1960 US 7" single on Dore 568, A-side)

24. Rockin' Round The Mountain - THE CAPERS (1960 US 7" single on Dore 587, A-side)

25. It's No Use - BASIL and THE BAROQUES (October 1965 US 7" single on Dore 745, B-side of "We'll Meet Again")

26. Love Will Take Away - THE SYNDICATE (September 1965 US 7" single on Dore 743, B-side of "My Baby's Barefoot" - see Track 14 for A-side)

27. Haight (In Haight-Ashbury) Street - OPUS FIVE (April 1967 US 7" single on Dore 787, A-side)

28. Russian Roulette - THE ZANIES (January 1963 US 7" single on Dore 658, A-side)

NOTES:

All Tracks MONO - Tracks 8, 9, and 17 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The jam-packed 26-page booklet is the usual glorious affair from Ace - US Dore 45 label repros galore, a 'Certificate of Business' for The Zanies as well as a Trade Advert for their 'two-sided smash' "Mad Scientist" and "She's A Winner" (the A-side is Track 3), a repro poster of the Steve McQueen horror blockbuster "The Blob" which informs us that the said goo is '...Indescribable! Indestructible! Nothing Can Stop It!' (it looks like Stevie's got his work cut out for him eh), gorgeous and rare colour EP sleeves for Los Corvets and Bobby Troup, instrumentalist Bobby Fry looking pleased with his solid body Fender while the wonderfully named Tony Casanova leans smirking into shot with his Shakin' Stevens suit, Eddie Cochran geetar and his open-shirted beady eyes on your teenage daughter (come to Daddy my dearie). 

The superlative ROB FINNIS liner notes do well to illuminate on so many virtual unknowns - while Ace's trusted Audio Engineer NICK ROBBINS delivers on a huge variety of Mono 7" singles. To the music...

There's a fantastic Ecuadorian language cover of the Stones "Satisfaction", a killer Previously Unreleased Rockabilly instrumental in the shape of "Grandchus" from Bobby Fry that will have dancers flip their wig and a Beach Boys upbeat warning from the suitably monikered 'Zanies' about avoiding the slithery slime that is “The Blob” (I'll keep an eye out boys). That's before we get to the truly superb instrumental "Midnight Beach Party" by Johnny "Z" – a fabulous mix of fuzzed-up surf guitar and bopping saxophone that would make the dead reconsider re-joining the land of the living (look out for it in a Tarantino movie near you right soon). Hell there’s even a song called (wait for it) “Yes, Master!” by The Whips and its sung by a girl (yikes). Sounding not unlike Nico in a bad mood on a Monday morning before her latte - The Wrench are a girl group who deliver the most amazing sound - the kind of doomy melodrama you would imagine Lee Hazlewood would love and kick himself for not writing. And on it goes...

I had thought "Make Mine Mondo!" was going to be a chore and some of it is too mad and poppy to be truly great - but don't let that put you off. There's more than enough on here that's fantastically good and period whacky (like those Rhino LP compilations by Dr. Demento you used to see in Tower Records, Piccadilly Circus in the 80ts and 90ts) - and isn't that exactly what California's Dore Records were striving for in the first place.

Subtitled 'Fuzzed Out Garage Bands, Manic Instrumentals and Wayward Rockabillies From The Eccentric Dore Label' – Ace Records CDTOP 1521 does what it says on a very mixed-up musical biscuit tin. It’s a whole heap of hip-shaking tequila, barmy 50ts and 60ts moments and genre cool discoveries with the added bonus of three cuts being new to CD – and not just filler either.

In short - another wee nugget from the worryingly disturbed minds of men who should know better over at Steele Road, London NW10...

"The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12 by VARIOUS ARTISTS (February 2011 Ace Records CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Let The Four Winds Blow..."

Following the same route as Volumes 1 to 11 – the twelfth entry in this fabulous CD series from Ace Records of the UK offers fans 30 cleverly sequenced Mono US 7" singles that hit the American Pop charts between 1954 and 1963. As the chart entries range between No. 1 to No. 75 – the overall play features a nice combo of the obvious versus the obscure - and like preceding volumes some are in Stereo (five this time - see track list below) and only a handful actually made the British Pop charts even though many are now well known to collectors and oldies fans.

All of this rare and hip material is presented to music lovers on both sides of the pond by a British record company that gives a damn - with a hard-won reputation across four decades of reissue quality (best tape sources used – no needle drops). The full 18 volumes up to late 2015 are listed below. So 'Let's Go Trippin'" on a 'Bad Motorcycle' so we can 'Boom Boom' with 'Short Fat Fannie' (all in the best possible taste of course)...

UK and USA released February 2011 - "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1280 (Barcode 029667043120) is a 30-track CD and breaks down as follows (74:52 minutes):

1. Road Runner – BO DIDDLEY

January 1960 US 7" single on Checker 942 (peaked at 75)

April 1960 UK 7" single on London HLM 9112 (didn't chart)

Real name Elias McDaniel – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £20

2. Bad Motorcycle – THE STOREY SISTERS with Al Browne & His Orchestra

January 1958 USA 7" single on Cameo C-126 (peaked at 45)

March 1958 UK 7" single on London HLU 8571 (didn't chart)

Ann and Lillian Storey – the British 45 is a listed UK rarity at £100

3. Raunchy – BILL JUSTIS and His Orchestra

September 1957 US 7" single on Phillips International 3519 (peaked at 2)

November 1957 UK 7" single on London HL-S 8517 (on re-entry it peaked at 11 in January 1958) – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £25

4. Silhouettes – THE RAYS

September 1957 US 7" single on Cameo 117 (peaked at 3)

November 1957 UK 7" single on London HLU 8505 (didn’t chart)

Originally issued August 1957 on XYZ Records X-102 – the reissue on Cameo 117 charted – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £40

5. Handy Man – JIMMY JONES

September 1959 US 7" single on Cub K 9049 (peaked at 2)

January 1960 UK 7" single on MGM Records MGM 1051 (peaked at 3)

Co-write between Jimmy Jones and Otis Blackwell

6. If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody – JAMES RAY

October 1961 USA 7" single on Caprice CAP-110 (peaked at 22)

February 1962 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 25126 (didn’t chart)

Stereo Version - Written by Rudy Clark

7. Bristol Stomp – THE DOVELLS

August 1961 USA 7" single on Parkway P-827 (peaked at 2)

October 1961 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 4718 (didn’t chart)

8. Rainin' In My Heart – SLIM HARPO

January 1961 USA 7" single on Excello 45-2194 (peaked at 31)

August 1961 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 25098 (didn’t chart)

Real names James Moore – the US release originally listed the track as the B-side of "Don't Start Cryin' Now" – UK issues had it as the A

9. Short Fat Fannie – LARRY WILLIAMS

May 1957 USA 7" single on Specialty 608 (peaked at 5)

August 1957 UK 7" single on London HLN 8472 (peaked at 21)

The British 45 is a listed rarity at £40

10. Dinner With Drac (Part 1) – JOHN ZACHERLE

March 1958 USA 7" single on Cameo C 130 (peaked at 6)

April 1958 UK 7" single on London HL-U 8599 (didn’t chart)

11. Back To School Again – TIMMY "Oh Yeah!" ROGERS and Bernie Lowe Orchestra

September 1957 USA 7" single on Cameo 116 (peaked at 36)

November 1957 UK 7" single on London HL-U 8510 (didn’t chart)

The British 45 is a listed rarity at £90

12. Little Latin Lupe Lu – THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS

November 1962 USA 7" single on Moonglow M-215 (peaked at 49)

June 1963 UK 7" single on London HL 9743 (didn't chart)

Written by Bill Medley

13. If I Can't Have You – ETTA & HARVEY

July 1960 USA 7" single on Chess 1760 (peaked at 52)

September 1960 UK 7" single on London HLM 9180 (didn't chart)

Stereo Version - Etta James and Harvey Fuqua (of The Moonglows) – also written by them

14. Think – THE "5" ROYALES

May 1957 USA 7" single on King 5053 (peaked at 66)

Not released in the UK

Written by their Guitarist Lowman Pauling

15. Lonely Blue Boy – CONWAY TWITTY

December 1959 USA 7" single on MGM Records K12857 (peaked at 6)

February 1960 UK 7" single on MGM Records MGM 1056 (didn't chart)

Stereo Version - Used in the American TV Series "Mad Men" – there is also a 'UK' version available on Bear Family's "Rocks" CD – the US version is used here

16. Butterfly – CHARLIE GRACIE

February 1957 USA 7" single on Cameo 105 (peaked at 1)

March 1957 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 4290 (peaked at 12)

The British 45 is a listed rarity at £50

17. Please Mr. Postman – THE MARVELETTES

August 1961 USA 7" single on Tamla T-54046 (peaked at 1)

December 1961 UK 7" single on Fontana H 355 (didn’t chart)

Its rare American Picture Sleeve is repro'd on Page 18 of the booklet – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £55

18. Let The Four Winds Blow – ROY BROWN

April 1957 USA 7" single on Imperial X5439 (peaked at 29)

Not released in the UK

Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino song – Fats Domino eventually recorded the song and released it April 1961 on Imperial X5764 which peaked at 15

19. Whole Lotta Woman – MARVIN RAINWATER

January 1958 USA 7" single on MGM K12609 (peaked at 60)

January 1958 UK 7" single on MGM Records MGM 974 (didn’t chart)

Also issued in the UK as part of the 4-track EP "Whole Lotta Marvin!" released 1958 on MGM Records MGM EP 662 (Track 2, Side 2) – a British rarity listed at £50

20. Let’s Go Trippin' – DICK DALE and THE DEL-TONES

September 1961 USA 7" single on Deltone 5017 (peaked at 60)

Not released in the UK

Real name Richard Monsour

21. He Will Break Your Heart – JERRY BUTLER

August 1960 USA 7” single on Vee-Jay VJ 354 (peaked at 7)

December 1960 UK 7" single on Top Rank JAR 531 (didn't chart)

Stereo Version – written by Jerry Butler, Curtis Mayfield and Calvin Carter - the British 45 is a listed rarity at £55

22. Boom Boom – JOHN LEE HOOKER

April 1962 USA 7" single on Vee-Jay VJ 438 (peaked at 60)

July 1963 UK 7" single on Stateside SS 203 (didn't chart)

Stereo Version – his first British 45 "Boom Boom" is a listed rarity at £25

23. You Better Move On – ARTHUR ALEXANDER

December 1961 USA 7" single on Dot 16309 (peaked at 24)

March 1962 UK 7" single on London HLD 9523 (didn't chart)

The British 45 is a listed rarity at £40

24. Saved – LaVERN BAKER

April 1961 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2099 (peaked at 37)

May 1961 UK 7" single on London HLK 9343 (didn't chart)

Stereo Version – Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller song

25. There's No Other (Like My Baby) – THE CRYSTALS

August 1961 USA 7" single on Philles 100 (peaked at 20)

January 1962 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 4867 (didn't chart)

Co-written (with Leroy Bates) and Produced by Phil Spector – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £150

26. Roll Over Beethoven – THE VELAIRES

June 1961 USA 7" single on Jamie 1198 (peaked at 51)

Not released in the UK

Chuck Berry cover version – the first CB song to reach the charts as a cover

27. Dedicated (To The Songs I Love) – THE 3 FRIENDS

July 1961 USA 7" single on Imperial X5763 (peaked at 89)

Not released in the UK

Walter and Clay Hammond (of The Olympics) and Julius Brown

28. The Jam – Part 1 – BOBBY GREGG and HIS FRIENDS

March 1962 USA 7" single on Cotton 1003 (peaked at 29)

April 1962 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 4825 (didn't chart)

29. Come To Me – MARV JOHNSON

February 1959 USA 7” single on United Artists UA 160 (peaked at 30)

May 1959 UK 7" single on London HLT 8856 (didn't chart)

Written by Marv Johnson and Berry Gordy of Tamla and Motown fame – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £100

30. Every Day I Have To Cry – STEVE ALAIMO

December 1962 USA 7” single on Checker 1032 (peaked at 46)

January 1963 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 25174 (didn't chart)

Arthur Alexander cover version

NOTES: all tracks are in MONO except tracks 6, 13, 15, 21, 22 and 24 – which are in STEREO

Volume 12 has an info-packed 32-page booklet festooned with ROB FINNIS liner notes and cool pics - quality publicity photos of forgotten names like The Storey Sisters, The Rays, Jimmy Jones, Larry Williams, Timmie "Oh Yeah!" Rogers, Dick Dale and Bobby Gregg (to name but a few). These snaps run alongside rare Trade Adverts for Bo Diddley, Bill Justis (Sheet Music), Slim Harpo, John Zacherle, The Righteous Brothers, Marvin Rainwater, The Silhouettes and James Ray (Sheet Music). The two-page colour collage of British 45s in their labels bags that was a feature on Volumes 1 to 4 has been replaced for Volumes 5 to 12 with smaller pictures of various UK and US record labels throughout the text (all songs in chronological order) - Finnis connecting all the musical and historical dots. Compiled by ROB FINNIS (with help from John Broven, Bill Millar, Tony Rounce , Victor Pearlin and other good names involved in reissue for decades now) – the clever sequencing makes it feel like an old jukebox (especially if you shuffle play) and it features a generous total playing time of 74+ minutes.

The DUNCAN COWELL Remasters are fantastically good – toppermost of the poppermost Audio quality on forgotten nuggets like the clever combo of powerhouse voices on "If I Can't Have You" – Etta James and Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows - here in truly glorious Stereo (Saxophone and Drums so clear). Is it any surprise that TV's "Mad Men" ended a show on the pained moocher of "Lonely Blue Boy" (stunning Stereo) - Conway Twitty doing his best misery voice on this achingly brilliant nugget that absolutely shouldn't be forgotten nor ignored any longer (better than Presley's film version that was canned). An uber-clean transfer too on the fantastic R&B romancer "Rainin' In My Heart” – Slim Harpo getting all mushy about his main squeeze. In fact despite the disparate sources – the Audio is uniformly great throughout (like all the other volumes) and will warm the cockerels of collector's hearts that have wanted this quality on CD for decades now.

Volume 12 opens with an irrepressible new decade winner – Bo Diddley's January 1960 chug-a-bug 'beep beep' song "Road Runner" while The Storey Sisters want to warn all the girls about the tell-tale 'vun vun' of a "Bad Motorcycle" (well done ladies). It's extraordinary now to think that if George Harrison hadn’t bought the 45 to the Saxophone led instrumental "Raunchy" by Bill Justis and demonstrated his mastery of the riff on his guitar atop a Liverpool double-decker bus (Lennon and McCartney took him into the band after this) – how music history would have been so much the less for it. The Rays are concerned about the lovely couple behind the curtains in their voyeuristic lovelorn way as they croon through "Silhouettes" – while Jimmy Jones is dreaming in his 'come-a come-a' way of the Royalty payments he's going to get when James Taylor covers his "Handy Man" (a 1977 No. 4 chart hit in the USA on Columbia Records). I've never heard "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody" by James Ray – a cool sort of Bacharach/David tune anchored by a wistful melody and a cute harmonica throughout. The drums on "Bristol Stomp" by The Dovells has the 'joint jumping' while Larry Williams has the Thought Police itchy with his delightfully un-PC "Short Fat Fannie" – a 1957 homage to his brand new lover that's likely to get him arrested in 2015.

Beautifully clear Audio accompanies the brass-driven mashed-potato-baby of "Little Latin Lupe Lu" by a clearly frazzled Righteous Brothers while classics don’t get much better that The "5" Royales doing "Think" – a genius slice of bop-along happiness written by their guitarist Lowman Pauling – a song that crosses the Vocal Group, R&B and Pop divide at the same time (stunning audio too). 'I knew from the first time I kissed you' Charlie Gracie tells us on the Vocal Group Vaudeville "Butterfly" - while The Marvelettes keep checking the mailbox in the breakthrough Tamla hit "Please Mr. Postman" (looking for royalty cheques from Berry Gordy or is that luncheon vouchers?) . Properly fabulous audio accompanies Roy Brown's joyous "Let The Four Winds Blow" – an utterly infectious New Orleans R&B winner penned by Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino. It's smartly followed in the running order by "Whole Lotta Woman" - a Marvin Rainwater bopper where our hero wants his girl to know that he's equal to the challenge by being a 'whole lotta man' (attaboy Marvin).

As I said of Volumes 1 to 11 – what's wicked about these Ace CD compilations is the oddities – finding gems you just don't know. I've never heard the neck-nibbling novelty number "Dinner With Drac" by John Zacherle – a man worried about the main course not being chicken and asparagus (genius choice and a properly great Monster Mash type laugh). Timmie "Oh Yeah!" Rogers is sorry to be waving bye-bye to good times as he and his buddies say hello to History and Maths again in the saxophone-driven "Back To School Again". Surf guitar drives the wicked instrumental "Let's Go Trippin'" by Dick Dale and The Del-Tones and 60ts Soul doesn’t get more sophisticated than the beautiful shuffle of "He Will Break Your Heart" penned by Jerry Butler, Curtis Mayfield (of The Impressions) and Calvin Carter. And how good is the 'put you in my house' footstompin' genius of "Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker (how did this not chart in the UK?). Both Arthur Alexander and LaVern Baker bring up the R&B front with the slow shuffle of "You Better Move On" and the manic drums and vocals of "Saved" because our LaVern no longer drinks nor does the Hoochie-coo (thank Gawd for that).

We get our daily dose of Phil Spector melodrama with The Crystals on their mini Pop Opera "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" – but rocking in two-by-two comes The Velaires and their cool cover of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" – here in superbly atmospheric sound. Songs get rama-lama-ding-dong'd in the song-naming tune "Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)" by The 3 Friends who turn out to be members of The Olympics moonlighting on this novelty number. Drummer Bobby Gregg famously played on Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" LP and the monster hit "Like A Rolling Stone" – enough to ensure immortality. But along comes Ace and unearths this Saxophone and Organ and Drums instrumental blaster that managed a No. 29 placing in early 1962. He would also play on Simon & Garfunkel recordings. It ends with Marv Johnson earning his place of importance in the Motown history books with the catchy "Come To Me" and the unexpectedly touching "Every Day I Have Cry" by handsome Steve Alaimo – teen-popping up an Arthur Alexander song.

Like Volumes 1 to 11 – installment No. 12 is an adventurous, period evocative, cleverly paced compilation that barely puts a foot wrong. In fact it may the best CD compilation yet. Loving the whole damn lot. And there are seventeen more volumes to return to where this came from...

Titles in "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll" CD Series are:

1. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits From 1954-63 (Ace CDCHD 289, November 1991)

2. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 2: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 445, March 1993)

3. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 3: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 497, January 1994)

4. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 4: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 500, October 1994)

5. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 5: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 600, October 1995)

6. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 6: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 650, January 1997)

7. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 7: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 700, November 1998)

8. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 8: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 750, November 1999)

9. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 9: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 800, February 2001)

10. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 10: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 850, September 2002)

11. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 11: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1200, September 2007)

12. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1280, February 2011)

13. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Country Edition (Ace CDCHD 845, April 2002)

14. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Novelty Edition (Ace CDCHD 890, November 2003)

15. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Doo Wop Edition 1953-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1000, May 2004)

16. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special "Bubbling Under" Edition – Regional Hits That Just Missed The Hot 100 1959-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1050, March 2006)

17. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll – The Follow-Up Hits: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits (Ace CDCHD 1190, January 2008)

18.  The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Doo Wop Edition Volume 2 1956-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1230, May 2009)

This review and hundreds more like it can be found in my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series - BLUES, GOSPEL, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL - Exceptional CD Remasters is available to buy/download at Amazon at the following link...

"The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 11" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2007 UK Ace Records CD Compilation of Remasters - Volume 11 of 12 Plus Other Themed Volumes) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Apple Of My Eye..."

Volume 10 of Ace's "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll" CD Series came out in 2002 - and after filling in with off-shoot CD compilations like 'Vocal Groups', 'Country' and 'Bubbling Under Hits' for five years – Ace returned to the numbers game in 2007 with another superb instalment (their 'eleventh'). Following the same route as Volumes 1 to 10 – it offers fans 30 cleverly sequenced Mono US 7" singles that hit the American Pop charts and features a nice combo of the obvious versus the obscure. Like preceding volumes some are in Stereo (in this case only two - see Track Notes below) and barely any actually made the British Pop charts even though many are now well known to collectors and oldies fans.

And all of this rare and hip material is presented to music lovers on both sides of the pond by a British record company that gives a damn - with a hard-won reputation across four decades of reissue quality (best tape sources used – no needle drops). The full 18 volumes up to late 2015 are listed below. So 'Let The Good Times Roll' as we indulge in some 'Finger Poppin’ Time' down at 'Smokey Joe’s Cafe' (all in the best possible taste of course)...

UK and USA released September 2007 - "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 10: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1200 (Barcode 029667029322) is a 30-track CD and breaks down as follows (72:02 minutes):

1. Jim Dandy – LaVERN BAKER and THE GLIDERS
November 1956 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-1116 (peaked at 17)
January 1957 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 3879 (didn't chart)
Real name Delores Williams – originally the B-side of "Tra-La-La" - the UK 45 is a listed rarity at £350.00

2. Ruby Baby – DION
December 1962 USA 7" single on Columbia 4-42662 (peaked at 2)
January 1963 UK 7" single on CBS Records AAG 133 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version. Written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. 
Originally a hit for The Drifters in 1956 on Atlantic 45-1089

3. White Bucks And Saddle Shoes – BOBBY PEDRICK, Jr.
September 1958 US 7" single on Big Top 45-3004 (peaked at 74)
November 1958 UK 7" single on London HLX 8740 (didn't chart)
Real name Robert John Pedrick. Jr. 
Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman/Produced by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller.
Had a hit on both sides of the pond in 1968 as Robert John doing "If You Don't Want My Love"

4. Transfusion – NERVOUS NORVUS
May 1956 US 7" single on Dot 45-15470 (peaked at 8)
Not released in the UK (see Notes)
Notes: Real name Jimmy Drake (wrote the song too) - June 1956 saw a UK promo-only 7" single release on London MSD 1376 – no stock copies were issued

5. Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly) – SAMMY TURNER
June 1959 US 7" single on Big Top 45-3016 (peaked at 3)
July1959 UK 7" single on London HLX 8918 (didn't chart)
Produced by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller – recorded in Mono.
Stereo copies are re-processed Stereo – Ace has used the Mono mix. 
The track was also featured on the Mono "Lavender Blue Moods" LP from 1960 on London HA-X 2246 which is pictured on Page 7 of the booklet

6. You're The Apple Of My Eye - THE FOUR LOVERS
April 1956 USA 7" single on RCA Victor 47-6518 (peaked at 62)
Not released in the UK
Features Frankie Valli and members of The Four Seasons – written by Otis Blackwell

7. Mathilda – COOKIE And HIS CUPCAKES
November 1958 USA 7" single on Judd J1002 (peaked at 47)
Not released in the UK
Cookie is Huey Thierry – originally released locally in Louisiana on Khoury’s 703 – repressed with extra reverb on Judd J1002.
The Judd version charted. Judd Records was owned by Jud Phillips – brother of Sam Phillips of Sun Records fame

8. Henrietta – JIMMY DEE and THE OFFBEATS
August 1961 USA 7" single on Dot 4-141 (peaked at 47)
Not released in the UK
Real names James DeFore – the first 45 Bob Dylan ever bought

9. One Track Mind – BOBBY LEWIS
August 1961 USA 7" single on Beltone 45-1012 (peaked at 9)
October 1961 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 4831 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version

10. I Need Your Lovin' – CONWAY TWITTY
March 1957 USA 7" single on Mercury 71086 (peaked at 93)
Not released in the UK (see Notes)
Notes: no UK 45 was released but it does feature as Track 1 on Side 2 of the April 1960 UK EP "I Need Your Lovin'" on Mercury ZEP 10069. 
A listed rarity at £150 (pictured Page 11 of the booklet).

11. Tennessee Waltz – BOBBY COMSTOCK & THE COUNTS
September 1959 USA 7" single on Blaze 45-349 (peaked at 52)
November 1959 UK 7" single on Top Rank JAR 223 (didn't chart)

12. Love Is Strange – MICKEY & SYLVIA
November 1956 USA 7" single on Groove 4G-0175 (peaked at 11)
May 1957 UK 7" single on HMV Records POP 331 (didn't chart)
Mickey Baker and Sylvia Robinson.
The British 45 is a listed rarity at £200 (the 78” is £50 with the same catalogue number)
Sylvia later formed the All Platinum label and had a hit (as Sylvia) with "Pillow Talk" in 1973 in both the US and UK

13. Pretend – CARL MANN
September 1959 USA 7" single on Phillips International 3546 (peaked at 57)
December 1959 UK 7" single on London HLS 9006 (didn't chart)

14. Drip Drop – THE DRIFTERS
May 1958 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-1187 (peaked at 58)
August 1958 UK 7" single on London HLE 8686 (didn't chart)
Written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller – in the UK it was the B-side of "Moonlight Bay" – a listed rarity at £200.00

15. Chills And Fever – RONNIE LOVE
September 1960 USA 7" single on Dot 45-16144 (peaked at 72)
January 1961 UK 7" single on London HLD 9272 (didn't chart)
First released in early 1960 on Startime 45-5001 credited to Johnny Love And His Orchestra

16. Let The Good Times Roll – SHIRLEY & LEE
June 1956 USA 7" single on Aladdin 45-3325 (peaked at 20)
November 1956 UK 7" single on Vogue V 9059 (didn't chart)
Shirley Goodman and Leonard Lee – the UK tri-centre 45 is a listed rarity at £150.00

17. Miss Fine – THE NEW YORKERS
April 1961 USA 7" single on Wall 547 (peaked at 69)
Not released in the UK
Features Fred Parris of The Five Satins

18. I'm Stickin' With You – JIMMY BOWEN
February 1957 USA 7" single on Roulette R-4001 (peaked at 14)
March 1957 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 3915 (didn't chart)
The British 45 on a gold Columbia label is booked at £60

19. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – JIVIN' GENE and The Jokers
June 1959 USA 7" single on Mercury 71485 (peaked at 69)
Not released in the UK
Gene Bourgeois - originally released on Jin Records 45-116 in early 1959 – reissued in July 1959 on Mercury 71485 (which charted)

20. Goodbye Baby – JACK SCOTT
November 1958 USA 7" single on Carlton 493 (peaked at 8 in 1959)
February 1959 UK 7" single on London HLL 8804 (didn't chart)
The British issue is credited as Jack Scott With The Chantones

21. This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' – RUTH BROWN
August 1958 USA 7” single on Atlantic 45-1197 (peaked at 24)
November 1958 UK 7" single on London HL-E 8757 (didn't chart)
Saxophone Solo by KING CURTIS – a listed rarity in the UK at £80

22. Last Chance – COLLAY and The Satellites
February 1960 USA 7" single on Sho-Biz 1002 (peaked at 82)
Not released in the UK
Real name Allen Callais

23. Record Hop Blues – THE QUARTER NOTES
February 1959 USA 7" single on Wizz 715 (peaked at 82)
Not released in the UK
An instrumental written by Anthony Sperry

24. Without Love (There Is Nothing) - CLYDE McPHATTER
November 1956 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-1117 (peaked at 19)
Not released in the UK
See also "Lover Please" by Clyde McPhatter (Track 16, Vol. 6) and "A Lover's Question" (Track 12, Vol. 10)

25. Village Of Love – NATHANIEL MAYER And The Fabulous Twilights
April 1962 USA 7" single on Fortune UA 449 (peaked at 22)
July 1962 UK 7" single on HMV Records POP 1041 (didn't chart)
First issued February 1962 in the USA on Fortune 545

26. Fabulous – CHARLIE GRACIE
April 1957 USA 7" single on Cameo 107 (peaked at 16)
May 1957 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 4313 (didn't chart)
The British 45 on the gold-coloured Parlophone label is listed at £50

27. Peanut Butter – MARATHONS
May 1961 USA 7" single on Argo 5389 (peaked at 20)
June 1961 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 25088 (didn't chart)

28. Smokey Joe's Café – THE ROBINS
October 1955 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6059 (peaked at 79)
Not released in the UK
Written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller

29. Come On Over – THE STROLLERS
April 1961 USA 7” single on Carlton 546 (peaked at 81)
April 1961 UK 7" single on London HLL 9366 (didn't chart)

30. Finger Poppin' Time – HANK BALLARD And The Midnighters
April 1960 USA 7” single on King 45-5341 (peaked at 7)
August 1960 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 4682 (didn't chart)

NOTES: all tracks are in MONO except tracks 2 and 9 – which are in STEREO

Volume 11 has an info-packed 28-page booklet festooned with ROB FINNIS liner notes and cool pics - quality publicity photos of forgotten names like Bobby Pedrick, Jimmy Drake as Nervous Norvus, Cookie & His Cupcakes, Shirley & Lee, The New Yorkers, Nathaniel Mayer and Hank Ballard (to name but a few). These snaps run alongside rare Trade Adverts for LaVern Baker, Bobby Lewis, Conway Twitty, Bobby Comstock, The Marathons, Jack Scott, Ruth Brown and The Robins. It even comes with a gorgeous colour photo of a drive-in theatre in St. Louis in Missouri (the 66 Park-In). The two-page colour collage of British 45s in their labels bags that was a feature on Volumes 1 to 4 has been replaced for Volumes 5 to 12 with smaller pictures of various UK and US record labels throughout the text (all songs in chronological order) - Finnis connecting all the musical and historical dots. Compiled by TREVOR CHURCHILL and ROB FINNIS (with help from John Broven, Bill Millar and other good names involved in reissue for decades now) – the clever sequencing makes it feel like an old jukebox (especially if you shuffle play) and it features a generous total playing time of 72+ minutes.

The DUNCAN COWELL Remasters are fantastically good – toppermost of the poppermost Audio quality on forgotten nuggets like the clever Dion reinterpretation of the Drifters 1957 Atlantic classic "Ruby Baby" – here in truly glorious Stereo – slowed down and 60ts sexy. There’s early Soul of a sort in the gorgeous vocal of Sammy Turner on the lovely "Lavender Blue" where his girl will be wet in a dilly dilly dress (despite your enthusiasm I’m not sure she’d approve of that on her wedding day Sammy). Uber clean transfer on the fantastic R&B bopper "Drip Drop" by The Drifters – Clyde McPhatter still thrilling after all these decades with that once-in-a-lifetime voice of his. In fact despite the disparate sources – the Audio is uniformly great throughout (like all the other volumes) and will warm the cockerels of collector's hearts that have wanted this quality on CD for decades now.

Volume 10 opens with an irrepressible R&B winner – Atlantic’s first true superstar LaVern Baker giving us the lowdown on her hero "Jim Dandy" who spends his days rescuing damsels in all modes of transportation (including submarines). Apparently 'everybody's chewing a candy bar and doing the bop' in the brilliant and unknown "White Socks And Saddle Shoes" by Bobby Pedrick, Jr. – while the car-crash song (literally) tells us of a fast-driving daddy (Nervous Norvus) who doesn't want to speed again in "Transfusion'" – as bizarre as the Fifties gets and bound to raise a laugh or two. You can hear an early Frankie Valli in the frantic white boy Vocal Group of "You're The Apple Of My Eye" – while the Lo-Fi recording of "Mathilda" is actually part of its 1959 gutbucket charm – a lovely lurch of a song that conjures up teenagers with their ears glued to radios swaying along to its simple beauty. More homemade angst comes at us with the excellent stepper "Henrietta" by Jimmy Dee – a sort of Lloyd Price shuffler mixed in with a Gene Vincent screamathon – the kind of single a young John Lennon would have adored and included on his "Rock 'n' Roll" LP sessions in 1974.

Beautifully clear Audio accompanies the hiccup vocals of "I Need Your Lovin'" by a clearly frazzled Conway Twitty while Bobby Comstock regrets introduced his friend to his baby as both of them then did the "Tennessee Waltz" out of his life. 'Lotta people take it for a game' Mickey and Sylvia warn us on the impossibly catchy "Love Is Strange" - while Carl Mann advises us to avoid the whole nasty business altogether in the 'you'll never be alone' fantasy world of "Pretend" (fabulous audio on this too). It may be too late for poor Ronnie Love who gets "Chills And Fever" by just holding his girl's hand (we daren't think about what happens to his metaphysical infrastructure when he pulls her close). Shirley & Lee have no such worries as they "Let The Good Times Roll" – a New Orleans dancer here in a 'thrill your soul' squeaky clean transfer.

As I said of Volumes 1 to 10 – what's wicked about these Ace CD compilations is the oddities – finding gems you just don't know. I've never heard the almost Dion & The Belmonts shuffle of "Miss Fine" by The New Yorkers – a hugely atmospheric shuffler featuring a great Sax solo. Be Bop Rock 'n' Roll comes at you in the shape of the almost sappy "I'm Stickin' With You" by Jimmy Bowen while Jivin' Gene nabs the title "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" from under Neil Sedaka's nose – an R&B shuffler that feels like Bobby Mitchell or Fats Domino (lovely piano rolls). The 'live it up' and 'see you later Mater' joy of Ruth Brown breaking free in "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" will get your feet tapping while the eerie Engineer count of "Last Chance" by Collay & The Satellites gives the 'why did you not treat me right' song a sort of Buddy Holly echo that’s kind of magical. Absolutely huge echo accompanies the Saxophone intro to the R&B shuffler "Record Hop Blues" – a wicked instrumental I've never heard before that comes complete with an almost seaside organ accompaniment (strange and cool).

We get terribly earnest as Clyde McPhatter tells in his clearest doomsday echo that he awoke this morning and his life was barren and bare because "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" - and who are we (mere mortals) to disagree. Another Vocal Group entry for Nathaniel Mayer and his clarion call to the "Village Of Love" - while Charlie Gracie has been listening to way too much Elvis Presley on the brilliantly Pelvis 'doo do doo' chant of "Fabulous" – probably my fave on here (stunning audio too). A cool trio of boppers finish off proceedings nicely – "Smokey Joe's Café" by The Robins (genius Lieber & Stoller tune), "Come On Over" by The Strollers (don't bring your papa or your mama) and Hank Ballard going for that house-is-rocking crowd-pleaser in "Finger Poppin' Time". But best of all is the Frat Party Rock of the fab "Peanut Butter" – The Vibrations urging all and sundry to open their big jars and spread the said-substance on their crackers – even if that sort of thing is illegal in certain States. Creamy indeed...

Like Volumes 1 to 10 – instalment No. 11 is an adventurous, period evocative, cleverly paced compilation that barely puts a foot wrong. In fact it may the best CD compilation yet. Loving the damn lot. And there are seventeen more volumes where this came from...

Titles in "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll" CD Series are:

1. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits From 1954-63 (Ace CDCHD 289, November 1991)
2. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 2: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 445, March 1993)
3. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 3: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 497, January 1994)
4. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 4: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 500, October 1994)
5. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 5: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 600, October 1995)
6. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 6: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 650, January 1997)
7. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 7: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 700, November 1998)
8. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 8: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 750, November 1999)
9. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 9: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 800, February 2001)
10. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 10: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 850, September 2002)
11. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 11: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1200, September 2007)
12. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1280, February 2011)

13. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Country Edition (Ace CDCHD 845, April 2002)
14. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Novelty Edition (Ace CDCHD 890, November 2003)
15. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Doo Wop Edition 1953-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1000, May 2004)
16. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special "Bubbling Under" Edition – Regional Hits That Just Missed The Hot 100 1959-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1050, March 2006)
17. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll – The Follow-Up Hits: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits (Ace CDCHD 1190, January 2008)
18.  The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Doo Wop Edition Volume 2 1956-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1230, May 2009)

This review and hundreds more like it can be found in my 

SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series Volume - 

BLUES, GOSPEL, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL 

- Exceptional CD Remasters 

Is available to buy/download at Amazon at the following link...