Bloodstone Natural High London 1972

Bloodstone Natural High London 1972 CAT# XPS 620

Per everyone else, this is Bloodstone's finest moment, the title track, "Natural High," put the band on the map. Unfortunately, the hit tune didn't open the floodgates for future chart toppers, everyone just kept playing the same song.

However, the Kansas City band's entire 70's output is on par with other soul acts. Polished sounds, sweet vocals and harmonies, and taking moments to get a little more funky than some of their contemporaries. This album is no different, definite highlights outside the hit song and some material that could have been more inspired.

The hit though, "Natural High," it is about as close to perfect you can get to in the 70's soul ballad arena. Beautiful harmonies and vocals, seductive backdrop, just an amazing love song.

Natural High

James Brown Live At the Garden King 1967

James Brown Live At the Garden King 1967 CAT# 1018

Have not wrote in this thing for ages...been busy and shit. So I figured the best artist to blog about is a guy who lived at or near KC for like 30 minutes per an obscure interview that was cited by the label, Numero Group.

This LP is pretty great, it's the soulful James Brown before he went straight funk. Odd thing about James Brown records, they are almost always beat to death. You find them, get excited, look at it and the vinyl is tore up and barely playable.

They were party records. You put on James Brown when you wanted to get down with friends. Which also meant you were probably tipping a few back with friends. Which means, especially when records weren't thought of as fetish items, people just took them right off the platter and probably laid them on stack of other played through records, no sleeve or inner. Just out there, getting torn up.

Here's the thing though, that all makes sense; party records. But, next time you're out digging, look at a popular Joni Mitchell album. It's also tore up. Odd, because unlike James Brown, Joni isn't for partying. I have this romantic notion that it is because some girl in the 70's got her heart broken and for comfort, just played the crap out of Joni Mitchell...but, Joni is not from KC, not even for 30 minutes like Brown, so I'm not going into how great she is.

Smoke Risin' J. Bridge Records 1976

Smoke Risin' J. Bridge Records 1976 CAT# 7544

This will likely be my top find of the year as I've been searching for this at a reasonable price for the past two years. Finding it for $1 at a Goodwill in Olathe, KS, that's perfect for my budget. I was searching through a pretty solid collection of beat up soul albums at the Goodwill flipping past some Earth, Wind & Fire I didn't need, some O'Jays had it been in better condition I wouldn't have minded owning, and some Donald Byrd LPs I did need despite a few scuffs. Then, this shows up, still in shrink and looking super-clean. There was a lady looking at the opposite side of the record bin and she looked up at me when I said out loud, "Oh man, I can't believe this is here!" I then had to explain myself somewhat embarrassed the rarity behind the record and that I've been trying to track this down for a couple years now. She didn't care much. She had a few Disney LPs and a Carperntars album in her stack, so naturally I said, "There's some really great Earth, Wind & Fire LPs in here if you need some."

This album is a throwback and when you put up to all things 1976, it's not surprising that the group didn't bust out of Kansas City. The LP is very rooted in the popular 60's and early 70's sound of Motown. It four male vocalists surrounded by lush strings, brass, and some modestly funky guitar, bass and drums. The primary songwriter was Elmer Overton (he also produced the record along with Les Mathews) and it's pretty clear Overton was heavily influenced by the likes of the Impressions and the Temptations. It's not disco enough for 1976 dance floors and wasn't funky enough to catch on to the live scenes.

However, despite the album being a few years too late, it sounds fucking great now. Overton's tunes recall the greatest bits of the Motown catalog and some of these tracks could burn down a Northern Soul dance floor and probably have. That kind of sentimental, uptempo, dance number that the likes of Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perfected for Motown, Overton gets close. Even the over-the-top, drenched in string ballads work for this guy, mostly because of the falsetto and the rest of the vocals in Smoke have the talent to carry it out and make it interesting.

Also, the amount of energy that went into this release is impressive. There's a complete string, horn and reed section along with your standard band backing. So 4 male vocalists and an impressive 16 member studio cast. Not to mention, a full production team. This was put out on J. Bridge Records, which only put out one other release, a single from the same band. So it's a basically a private press and the money that was put into this release is probably what killed any chance of the label continuing. But man, what a way to go out...dare I say in a blaze (get it, Smoke?).

I'm So Glad You Came Along

James Brown Dead On Heavy Funk 74-76 Polydor 1985

James Brown Dead On Heavy Funk 74-76 Polydor 1985 CAT# 827439-1

If you haven't been reading, which, well, no one has been, I've mentioned a number of times how according to James Brown himself, he resided in KC for a year. After his childhood arrest, apparently he was shipped off to KC to live with his father who worked at possibly the AC Delco plant in North Olathe. Which, since it's James Brown, the Godfather of Funk, makes him local for the purposes of this blog.

This is a solid comp collecting 8 extended Brown funk workouts from the mid-70s. Since it's release in 1985, there's far better comps out there, but considering it's from the 80's, if you possibly find it, it might not be in terrible shape. The major highlight is "Hot (I Need to be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)" which features a guitar riff created by Carlos Alomar and is the same here as it was used in the song "Fame" by David Bowie.

One truth about the awesomeness of James Brown records, when you find them they are almost always beat to shit. They might have a bunch of needle marks, because people were dancing to these records, causing the needle to jump and come down hard. Or they're scratched severely because they were a favorite of DJs who were more focused about getting the next track on rather than properly putting the LP away. So, it usually got thrown into the crate, un-sleeved and then got other records stacked upon it. Or, and possibly worse, the grooves are just worn out. Groove wear fucking sucks. Distorts on highs and lows, always sounds like your needle is just running over salt...It's not surface noise, it's the grooves being worn out. This feature was usually do to a crappy record player or just playing the crap out of the record.

As far as groove wear, I'm going to go with the later. The records are just too damn good and enjoyable. People played the crap out of James Brown. If you see something minty in a used bin, it should be a guaranteed purchase.

James Brown Future Shock t-shirt ad
Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)

Bloodstone I Need Time London 1974

Bloodstone I Need Time London 1974 CAT# APS647

After discussing a surprising find featuring the daughter of Bloodstone band member, Charles Love Jr., figured why not highlight another Bloodstone release.

I Need Time followed the Unreal album and for the most part, marches down the same path. Unfortunately, most Bloodstone's work seems to get overlooked. For example, All Music Guide gives this album a measly two albums despite stating it contains, "Some above average funk..." It then goes onto mention the album featured drummer Steve Ferone who would go onto play for Average White Band.

Despite the low marks, All Music is right about having some "above average funk." In fact, the band's output throughout the 70's features some real killers and this album is no different. I mean, they can't compete with the craziness of George Clinton's Funkadelic or his Parilament, but hey, Bloodstone was playing their own instruments. And while Bloodstone can't get as smooth as the Chi-Lites or the O'Jays, their vocal work is on the same level. This album included, the band's catalog is filled with high points and worth exploring.

Perhaps Bloodstone's greatest challenge was not being linked to a specific scene within the soul/funk genre. There wasn't a Kansas City presence on the major labels since jump blues, by the 70's, Bloodstone is really about it. They couldn't latch on to Philly Soul, Chicago Soul, or what was going on down South. You sense the group was grabbing from all scenes in attempt to carve out their niche, which is perhaps the reason they aren't more highly regarded historically.

That's Not How It Goes

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984 CAT# NC 1001

This little 7" has a lot going on and there's a lot to say about it.  Most of it, I'd like to save for related releases, however, those releases are so rare I might not have the chance.  This is also extremely rare.  Currently this little private press piece of Kansas City soul is bringing in $200 to $300 in top condition.  Someone is asking close to $1000 for it on discogs.com.  There's a growing disco/boogie collectors market and this fits in on the tail end of the scene, it's decent, but I think most the value stems from it's perceived rarity.  Neco Records, was just E.L. Overton's custom label, so it's likely there was only between 500-1000 copies to begin with.

It also has the benefit of being produced and co-written by Keith Montgomery.  Keith Montgomery and fellow musician, Eugene Smiley started K City Records in the late 70's in Kansas City.  A third songwriter, Albert White, was part of the K City team as well.  The small outfit wrote and produced a number of songs with Kansas City soul musicians and cut a few records on their K City label.  Those 45s are well-regarded in the modern boogie genre and sought after for their obscurity.

Further, going back to the late-70's, there was a local vocal group called Smoke in Kansas City.  The group cut two 45s and a full-length LP.  The sound was pure 70's soul, sounds vintage compared to the K City stuff.  One of the group's songwriters, Elmer Overton, is in fact the E.L. Overton featured here.  I can't say there's a lot of information out there on the web stating the same, but collectors are a crafty bunch and I think they've figured it out, likely increasing the value for this 45 even more.

The track people are after, "I Am Here For You," is better than average production for a limited budget.  The beat, solid.  The background vocals, well done.  The feel and groove, better than average mid-80's boogie.  However, E.L. Overton's vocals just don't match.  He's bordering on a baritone and this production screams for somebody up near falsetto.  It detracts from an otherwise great track, I bet people would shit themselves to get a hold of an instrumental version of it.

The B-side, "Angel," doesn't need to exist.  Sappy, sentimental, same low-end vocals.  Just doesn't go anywhere and isn't by any means a  heart-stirring or heart-warming ballad; comes off more as a bad pick up attempt.  Production though, on point.

I Am Here For You

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014 CAT #b054

The Numero Group, despite their location in Chicago, is quickly becoming my favorite local record abel.  First, the Eccentric Soul comp for the Forte Label, the Titan box set, several 45s (that I have yet to pick up), and now this amazing collection of fuzzed out, acid drenched, rockers from the Kansas City area all of which were recorded at the Cavern in Independence, Missouri.  Granted, not all tracks are garage rockers, but of the 24 tracks, most are.

I've discussed the Cavern before, it's an actual cave in Independence that was turned into a recording studio.  A number of regional labels used the facility to record their groups, Pearce being the main one featured here along with several other labels and few private press items.  It's a cool story, no doubt, but reading Numero Groups extensive liners you'd think the thing was on legendary status.  I think it's more of a fond memory here in KC, but, that's cool, let all the out of towners think our 60's weren't square, we were just a bunch of hippies and stoners recording shit in a cave.

It's an insanely well packaged set, an extensive booklet with notes on all the bands, heavyweight packaging with info on the Cavern on the inside, and two 180 gram discs to enjoy.  As stated, mostly covers on what is now termed garage-rock, from the pop end to the acid psych end of it, but there's a few oddballs in there that don't fit any billing.  Each selected track is worth paying attention to and I've gave my rundown below:

Pretty-Mustache in Your Face  This band is rad enough to lead the set off and also have a double 7" released by Numero.  The original 7" features a crazy label with the center hole as the mouth of a face drawn around it.  It's a legend around town, but does show up from time to time.  The group was highly psychedelic in the vein of 13th Floor Elevators, which given the vast array of teen bands in the 60's isn't surprising, but for dudes from Kansas City, pretty far out.  The song is a scorcher.

Fraight-One Girl  Hey, something from Manhattan, KS, how about that.  Thinking about it, it would have been pretty long trek from Manhattan to Independence as the K7 highway didn't even exist at the time, you had to back road the trip until you reached KC.  The band was probably hot-shit at K-State, but I would think that's like be being the best ice skater from Australia.  Not that big of deal.  Decent harmonies, but stuck in a swamp of 60s pop sounds.

American Sound Ltd.-Aunt Marie  The founder of this band was from Granby, Missouri before gigging in KC, then getting shipped off to war.  Upon his return to KC, he founded this band.  This track is pumped full of blue-eyed soul and horns.  It's a killer track, with a sweet vocal on the chorus.  It's similar to the Chicago's and Blood, Sweat, and Tears of the world but this is such an undeniable dance track, it's a killer.

The Classmen-Doin' Me Right  The drummer of this band looks like he's 12 years old in the photo, but the singer has some definite age to him.  This was a family band of brothers from Independence, MO and dad controlled the show.  It's a nice little blue-eyed, soul ballad.  The singers baritone (or attempt at it) clashes well with the boys in the back shouting out a falsetto chorus.

Jaded-Lovin' You's Blues  Folky-psych sounds from a group of Kansas City Insurance employees.  It's got some tripped out effects on a flute and a dark subject matter, surprising that these guys thought people would be into something this dark around KC.

Larry Sands & The Sound Affair-You'll Know the Words  Kansas City based band, this is a spaced out attempt at country rock, falling in the middle and leaning towards neither.  That's not a bad thing as it just kind of floats in space with light whispered vocals and guitar effects floating all over.

Sheriff-I Don't Really Love You  Cool, upbeat pop sounds.  Singer has a nice Midwestern twang he brings to his vocals.  This could have easily been a hit in any state, just a good pop song.

Tide-I Wish it Had Ended That Way  Lawrence, KS band with a gritty rock sound and a very clumsy chorus.  It's a decent track, but could have had a bigger bottom and maybe some more stoner rock tossed in.

Bulbous Creation-The End of the Page  Extremely dark, psych folk from a Prairie Village,KS Vietnam vet.  Numero Group is re-releasing the sole album by this band...it's so un-Prairie Village I'll have to save my breath and talk about it when I grab a copy.  Very interesting story as the album wasn't released until the group's creative force, Paul Parkinson, was found dead in his home.  His brother found the acetate of his Cavern recordings and was smart enough to let people hear it.

Mulligan-Think Before You Leave  This band actually is from Tennessee, story indicates they were kicked out of their studio by Elvis Presley and told to drive to Missouri for a session?  In actuality, not that far, but still, really?  This can't be true.  Not a bad rock sound soaked in Nashville country-soul.

Montaris-7 And 7 Is  This was a Plattsburg, MO band that plow through Love's 7 And 7 Is.  Considering Love wasn't a huge hit almost everywhere outside of San Francisco, CA, these dudes had to be the coolest guys in Plattsurg back in their day.

Stone Wall-Living Today  Not to be confused with the obscure garage rockers from Indiana, these kids were from Shawnee Mission and the surrounding Kansas City area.  Pretty fantastic track with huge high and lows.  Great guitar work, pretty killer mid-tempo garage rock.

Morningstar-Little By Little  Before becoming an unoriginal, major-label, pomp-rock band Morningstar could do some garage rave-ups.  Female vocals with wound up sound, it's the best thing the band ever did.  Granted, only one member from this line-up makes it to crap-Morningstar, but the band's history just got a million times cooler for me.

Baxters' Chat-Love's Other Other Side  Great name for a band from Baxter Springs, KS, eh?  The bands teenage dance garage was released on two singles by the Pearce label, this song isn't killer, but it's got a nice pop-psych sound.

Burlington Express-One Day Girl (Twenty Four)  Decent garage pop out of Topeka, Kansas.  The band photo shows some shaggy hair kids, but they were trying to go at the mod scene (they are dressed spiffy).  Of note, the band once opened for the Who and featured Greg Gucker who later performed in a band called White Clover who later gave way Kansas.  However, Gucker didn't make the cut and was never featured on a Kansas LP to my knowledge.

The Reaction-In My Grave  This is pure garage rock greatness.  Amateur-hour, stagnated guitar solos, organ riffs, and drum banging, it's perfect.  Their band photo doesn't make them look half as cool as this song, but these were Jr. High kids from Rolla, MO, what do you expect?

21st Century Sound Movement-Feelin' Down  Great band name for sure, these dudes were from the Hickman Mills area of KC.  Pretty psychedlized scorcher with some nifty fuzz guitar thrown in.

The Dantes-Any Number Can Win There's a band photo in the extended liners to this comp and these guys look young...but, the liners also indicate some of the members had graduated from KU.  The band was formed at Shawnee Mission High, so from the Kansas side and do some somewhat psychedelic raving, but nothing shocking.

Larry Sands & the Sound Affair-If I Didn't Want to See You Anymore  Pretty wimpy folk-pysch with an out of place heavy bottom that includes a dark organ and some nice vocal harmonies.

Fraight-William Jones  This is dark and moody, a bit boring, but interesting given the time period.  It's slow, but not in a ballad style, just kind of a creepy tune with drawn out lyrics and harmonies.

The Classmen-Any Old Time   It's decent enough garage pop, nothing that really jumps out on the tune.  It's pleasant enough for pop radio and has a lo-fi aesthetic to it.

Jaded-The King Was  Tons of effects and wah-wah guitar.  Heavy into the pyschedelic scene as well.  As with the other tune featured by the band, it was never released officially, only acetates were cut.

The Dantes-She's Part of Me  Yawn, 60's ballad style stuff.  The band's panty dropper and slow dance original.  Does have a nice soul inspired moment though with some blue-eyed yearning.

A.J. Rowe-Smoke My Pipe (The Sign Ain't Right)  Kind of mystery man, but this is pretty awesome.  Sparse, lo-fi, funk work out with off-the-wall lyrics and attitude.  The 7" it was featured on is out there, approximately 1000 exist and was funded and put out by Rowe himself.

Bloodstone Unreal London 1973

Bloodstone Unreal London 1973 CAT# XPS634

Kansas City's Bloodstone is on point on this album.  Typically speaking, people really only spend time with their hit and album of the same, Natural High.  However, their material throughout the 70's is all worthwhile.

This album is pretty slick and smooth, definitely a 70's soul album.  The band is usually credited as bringing a bit of rock into the soul sound, but for the first side, not much of that is  found.  The title track, "Unreal" is a highlight and penned by Charles Love of the band.  Most the tunes here are in fact, penned by the group.  The album picks up the pace on the final track of Side 1, "Everybody Needs Love," which leads into a more uptempo Side 2.  The second side starts with the Beatles, "Something," and followed up with same smoothness but a lot more emphasis on the guitar, bass, and funk (see the song sequence of "Let Me Ride" into "The Traffic Cop," it's perfect).  They let loose a little more on Side 2 for sure and show the rock aspect to their music more clearly.

Overall, solid album and one of the band's best.  And...the cover.  It's got a rainbow with the band on horseback, if only they were mounting unicorns, it'd be perfect.

Let Me Ride
Unreal

Garry Mac and the Mac Truque Truqued Up Alive in Concert Capitol 1969

Garry Mac and the Mac Truque Truqued Up Alive in Concert Capitol 1969 CAT# ST 275

This album is an interesting Kansas City nugget.  Five white Kansas City teens cranking out sweaty, blue-eyed soul and funk.  And when I say funk, I'm serious, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, they dug a lot deeper than Motown.  The band played around locally in clubs and venues, obviously banging out numerous soul sides with enough energy to gain the attention of the majors.  Capitol's signing of the band was an obvious response to the popularity of acts like Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and other sweaty frat rockers.  If there's a good comparison for Garry Mac, it is Mitch Ryder.  That said, the Mac Truque is made to sound like the Detroit Wheels-lite.

The album claims to be "live", but it's pretty apparent upon listening there's quite a few edits.  There's some clear "crowd" applause placement, but overall, the actual tunes do sound live due to the rawness of them.  The backside claims that the band were all multi-instrumentalist, changing from brass, to guitars throughout the show.  Problem with the "live" aspect is that there'd have to be more guys on the stage at certain points in the album.  It was a definite album gimmick (also, likely cost effective for Capitol) and it didn't appear to benefit this KC band, the rawness of it may have been lost on the mainstream and the crowd applause throughout wasn't going to help get radio play.

What Capitol should have done is take these kids down to Nashville and blast out these covers with some pros.  Could have sounded raw and slick simultaneously, then the band could have performed live, switching all their instruments as their gimmick.  I mean it wasn't like the Detroit Wheels were the only players on those Mitch Ryder albums, Capital could have made this band but clearly failed.

Of course, this was 1969 and maybe Capitol gave up long before releasing the album.  Sweaty, white-guy, soul work outs had run their course by 1969 and perhaps Capitol sat on the band too long after signing them.  I'm just picturing an A&R guy finally going to a record executive and saying, "Hey, man, what are we doing with the Mac Truque."  To which the exec. said, "Hmmm, forgot about them.  That music is 'out'.  Tell you what, take some live recordings, get them to a producer, put in some over-dubs and crowd effects and see what happens.  I don't want to put a bunch of money into it, if it hits it hits, otherwise send them packing."  Well, obviously, it never hit or went anywhere and Garry Mac faded into relative obscurity.

Thus, it's now regulated to a Kansas City nugget.  A few collectors out there are interested in this type of thing for sure, but outside of that, pretty obscure.  The band's highlights are their workouts of James Brown covers.  If there's a white guy who can screech like Brown but still come off blue-eyed, it's Garry Mac...weird right?  They blast through "Cold Sweat," "I Got the Feelin", and "Licking Stick".  Another definite highlight is Isaac Hayes' "I Want to Thank You."  Granted, these are odd covers for a group of white guys to be doing...but, they are able to pull it off without any sort of disaster.

The band, or members, or at least Garry Mac are still performing as a high dollar wedding act.  Apparently putting out an album for Capitol in the late-60's still holds some weight in the wedding circuit.  They gained an additonal 5 minutes of fame when they were booked to play a wedding in Omaha, NE for Warren Buffet's granddaughter.  That's a pretty big ticket, but it's newsworthy because Bono (yes, that Bono) joined the band to sing "Stand By Me."  The story goes that right after the performance, Bono disappeared and never offered to chat or sign anything for the band.  That final part of the story is because Bono is a huge dickhead, but whatever, I'm sure the band members would keep it classy and never say such a thing.

Honky Tonk
Bono and the Wedding Band

James Brown Hot Pants Parts 1, 2, & 3 People 1971

James Brown Hot Pants Parts 1, 2, & 3 People 1971 CAT#42-2501

James Brown lived in Kansas City for 30 minutes, or so he said once in some obscure interview...Is it true?  I don't know, but I keep picking up the 45s because they're awesome.  If James Brown brief KC residency is true, I'm 100% positive it isn't going to show up in the upcoming movie about his life.

Anyway, have you heard the song "Hot Pants"?  It's phenomenal.  It's available on a kajillion different Brown releases.  It's funky, sweaty, soul music.  He grunts, yelps and says "Hot Pants" over and over, there's some other words thrown in, but they aren't necessary. 

Hot Pants on Soul Train

Bloodstone Riddle of the Sphinx London 1974

Bloodstone Riddle of the Sphinx London 1974 CAT# PS654

This appears to be the most ambitious effort from Kansas City's Bloodstone.  It's an attempt at a concept album.  Like most concept albums, it falls apart quickly and just becomes apparent that the concept was only carried through in artwork and the song titles, there's no unraveling or storytelling here; just a solid soul LP with a few spoken word interludes.

They band was playing their own instruments and writing all their own tunes at this time.  They run the gambit in terms of styles.  The first three songs go from silky soul, to black rock, to straight funk.  These 70's Bloodstone albums were exclusively produced by Mike Vernon, who got a crisp sound and allowed for experimentation.  In terms of the black rock movement of the 70's these guys were one of the better groups, blending the Hendrix inspired riffs of Charles Love and Willis Draffen with the vocal style of 60's Motown.  If you think Funkadelic, that's a bit too heavy, Bloodstone only experiments in the style.  It ultimately owes it's greatest due to soul music and the rock moments are few and far between.

I love the plaintive vocals of "Just Learned to Walk" and it's awkward rock style.  "This World is Funky" is solid piece funk with great guitar work.  The rest of the album meanders between MOR 70's funk and and great vocal soul outings.  No doubt, these dudes had a great vocal approach, one of the best at their craft in that regard, "Wasted Time" best exemplifies that aspect of the band.  There are some other definite highlights like the silky smooth, "For the First Time," and the outstanding ballad, "Young Times Old Times."

The World Is Funky
Wasted Time

Marva Whitney Live and Lowdown at the Apollo King 1969

Marva Whitney Live and Lowdown at the Apollo King 1969 KS 1079

I never thought I'd own an original copy of this LP.  In fact, the reissue of this LP was on the short list to be purchased.  Nevertheless, I stumbled across an original copy with a beat up cover (but, hey, the vinyl is in VG+ condition).  Since I've spent a number of post gushing about Kansas City Soul Sister #1, Marva Whiteny, I thought I'd discuss the epic dig that brought this album to me.

First, I don't really eat lunch, I spend my lunch hour at thrift stores looking through LPs and various other things.  I don't have much of a disposable income so I rarely venture into anything other than thrift stores, but about a week ago I happened upon Vintage Stock on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee, KS.  If you haven't been to a Vintage Stock, it's not a great place to look for records, they are primarily focused on video games and DVDs.  Each store has a rack of used LPs, they don't give people much for the used albums and I don't think that people with a pile of old LPs would even know the stores existed and buy LPs.  I've found great stuff at their stores, usually because they had no idea what they were selling.  However, they don't grade LPs and usually over price albums by well known groups.

Anyway, the only reason I walked into the store was because I had to go to the nearby grocery store to buy some bagels for my kids' lunches.  I ventured in due to the proximity and looked at the 100 or so albums and was surprised to see an impressive Alice Cooper and Frank Zappa selection.  The Cooper was all the early stuff, you know, Alice Cooper when it was still a band with a singer named Vincent Furnier, and the Zappa was a virtually every Mother's album with the exception of the first.  They were all marked $6.99 and all the covers were beat to hell.  Had they been in good shape or just a $1, I may have rounded out my early Cooper catalog and may have picked up some Zappa despite that I'm not really a fan.  But, I left the store without making a purchase.

My dad however is a huge Zappa fan.  Or least he is right now.  I gave him a record player a year or ago and since then, he's been buying all sorts of albums.  Zappa is his current obsession.  So I called him on the way to the grocery store and said he needed to check out all this Zappa.  He asked, "What albums are there?"  I said, "I told you, everything but the first Mother's LP, I'm not kidding, it's pretty incredible that someone sold it all to Vintage Stock."  He said he'd check it out.

That was on a Wednesday and by the weekend my dad still hadn't checked the store out.  I don't know why but I kept bugging him about it.  I think I just wanted someone else to discuss the strangeness of a video game store bringing in a large Zappa collection, even with conditions issues, I thought it strange that someone would have took it there for trade-in or cash.

By Sunday, I had kind of gave up on my dad going.  However, I was cruising on Shawnee Mission Parkway with my youngest son hitting up my favorite thrift store and thought about it again.  I texted my dad, who surprisingly called me right away.  Immediately he started telling me how weird it was and asked if I had seen the stuff behind the counter.  I had not.  I asked what was behind the counter and my dad began to tell me a bunch of high priced reggae albums and jazz.  He also explained that the guy working there had made the purchase when a guy came in with a box of records and asked for a $100 even.  When the kid saw the Frank Zappa, he agreed and paid the guy what he wanted.

I hung up the phone and thought I should go check out the stuff behind the counter.  Again, I really don't have a disposable income for records, so chances are no purchase would be made as most behind the counter records at Vintage Stock are at least $20.  Since I was close, I went.  The records were still up on the counter and not back in the case from when my dad had been there and started looking through them.  $200 valued Big Youth reggae album, $100 to $200 valued Alice Coltrane and John Coltrane albums, Cro-Mags on ESP, and some other assorted rarities all for between $20 and $40.  This was interesting, but most of the covers were pretty tore up and there wasn't anything I had to have.  Further, due to condition and prices, there wasn't anything I would have felt comfortable trying to flip on eBay.

While I was there, I decided to look over the rack a second time.  I had thought it'd be the same stuff I saw the last time.  This is when shit got weird.  I started looking through the rack and freaking out.  Meters' albums for $10, more rare reggae for $10, free jazz, obscure jazz rock, there was no way one person should have owned this many rare records and treated them so poorly, the covers were tore up, but fuck, at these prices it was well worth it to pick up.  As I was putting together a pile, I texted an old friend, "Call me."  I continued looking and started seeing even better prices on more insanely rare albums.  Called my friend and got no answer.  Continued amassing a large pile of records to look through and check condition when I came across an original copy of Mara Whitney's Live and Lowdown at the Apollo.  Out loud, in front of my two year old son, a lady looking at clearance DVDS, and the store employees I loudly said, "Holy shit!"  Then I apologized and mumbled, "I really need this album, sorry."  $4.99 they had it priced, $4.99!  For an album that in VG shape you're going to spend over a $100 for the original item, this was a steal despite cover condition..

Carefully, I inspected the LP and it was so clean, just a few scuff marks from storage, nothing deep, nothing that would affect playback.  I carefully put the album on top of my pile and took a quick a photo, I sent this photo to my friend that I had been trying to reach.  After the photo sent, he called immediately.

I was stuttering I was so excited about all this when I said to him, "Dude, you need to get to KC, this is absurd."
"Where are you?" he replied.
"Vintage Stock on, on, on.  Uh.  You know, that place I hit up on lunch, Shawnee Mission."
"Oh, yeah, I'm actually in KC, what's there."
"That Marva Whitney album I sent you.  Rare reggae, Augustus Pablo, Jazz, Alice Coltran, John Coltrane, it's just stupid."
"Okay," he said.
"Dude, I think I could spend like $200 and be happy about it."  I said.
"Alright, I might go up there."

We hung up and continued the dig.  After finding this Marva Whitney LP, I wasn't too concerned about a whole lot, if I only walked away with just this, it'd still be an epic trip.  I gathered everything up and immediately started dropping out anything over $5.  I got some rare jazz-rock, funk type stuff I'd be happy with at reasonable prices.  Then grabbed every .99 album realizing that it had to be worth it just based on the collection I was looking at.  Tossing back the Meters, a King Tubby album, and the Augustus Pablo hurt quite a bit, but believe me, I'm perfectly happy with stack of albums I did buy for $20.

I got out of the store, put my kid in his car seat and lit a cigarette up outside the car (it was that intense) and called the old man.

"Dad, seriously, what did you get?  That was insane, that stuff was not out there when I told you to check it out."
"Uh, a few Zappa albums and some James Brown."
"You missed Marva Whitney, the stuff there was insane, you should have took some flyers on a few, you wouldn't have been upset.  That collection should not be there."

Finished that conversation and then my friend called me.

"Did you go?"  I asked.
"Well, what did you find?"  He asked.
I went through some of the titles and he said, "Okay, I'm going."  Later, I got a text from him saying simply, "Thanks."

Since then, a few others have been.  All of them asking whoever sent them, "How could you pass on this?!"  And each of us saying, "I had to stop at some point, I could have spent hundreds of dollars on rare albums with bad covers, but I had to cut it off at some point.  Don't worry about me I got good stuff."  We've even had debates on how such an amazing collection, with such amazing taste, ended up at a store that focuses on video games.  The best we have come up with was they were from someone's estate who passed or a storage locker buy out.  Just absurd to see and will likely be the most epic dig of 2014.

Marva's rendition of a classic, "Respect"

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1970 (2012 Repress)

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1969 (2011 Repress) CAT #PD 1062

One year ago today, Marva Whitney passed away.  She was Kansas City born and raised and started her career in KC.  She played the Kansas City scene, leading the group Tommy & the Derby's, did the Motown revue's and opened for touring artists when they passed through.  She was asked to tour with Bobby Bland and Little Richard, but turned both down opting to join the James Brown Revue as a featured vocalist as she thought it was the best move for her career.

It certainly was the best move, Brown did all he could do to make her successful as a part of his act.  During the shows, Marva Whitney would provide the audience a couple of songs while Brown rested.  He recorded her and provided her some of his best material.  There are singles cut for Federal and King while she hung with Brown.  There is also the above album, as well as live LP from the King years.  The title song of this LP, "It's My Thing (Part 1)" was released as the single, "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who To Sock It To)" and as a response to the Isley Brother's "It's Your Thing".  It represented her highest charting single.

While she never became a mainstream R&B artist, her time spent with James Brown kept her active and in front of large audiences.  The move to go with James Brown far exceeded anything she would get by backing Bobby Bland or Little Richard.  However, most say that this was among the most difficult times of her life.  When she moved back to Kansas City after her time with James Brown she told friends and family just how true the name "Hardest Working Man In Show Buisness" was.  Brown was known to work his artists relentlessly.  She had a child from her marriage to Kansas City soul singer, Harvey Whitney.  However, she was never able to spend time as a mother due to constant touring and recording.  Homesick, she left the Brown stable in 1970.

She would record some unsuccessful singles for the T-Neck label afterward.  Afterwards, she would marry Ellis Taylor, the owner and operator of Kansas City's Forte label and cut some sides.  After little success on the regional label, her recording career largely ended aside a few sporadic singles and one-off LPS.  She only briefly stopped performing and would later be a member of the J.B.'s All Stars which were a group of former Brown artists.  She didn't stop performing until 2010.

This LP represents her best work.  The material is top shelf and the players were the best in the business as they were Brown's backing band.  It is a compilation of mostly singles released for the King label, some of which we re-recorded for the LP, others that were not.  It's absurdly collectible due to it's scarcity and the fact that Whitney is one of the greatest female funk performers of all time.

The girl did not hold back, she's a screamer.  The band gets most of the attention by the collectors, the cuts have been heavily sampled throughout hip-hop, especially the track "Unwind Yourself."  But, Whitney gives these songs personality.  She's got to be the only women that could match Brown's delivery.  Further, she's got to be the only women allowed to shout out "Maceo!" when the groove needed to get deeper.  You're not going to find any ballads (well, there is "If You Love Me," but she screams that one out, too) or anything that would have played well to a white Motown crowd, this is brassy, funk, floor stompers meant for the live crowds.  There were plenty of noted soul diva's out there, but only a few funk divas like Whitney belting out tunes like this.

Unwind Yourself
It's My Thing (Live TV Performance)
You Got To Have a Job (Duet with James Brown)

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013 Cat # 047

This is my favorite release of 2013.  The archivist label, Numero Group, has collected 28 tracks from the Kansas City soul label Forte and threw them onto a two LP set.  It's complete with an amazing and well researched booklet.

Kansas City has it's rich tradition for jazz and blues.  We even have claim to some nice indie-rock.  But as far as soul music, we never developed a famous sound.  The Forte label attempted to capture some of Kansas City's talent in terms of soul music.  Most the performers featured here were around town doing Motown style revues.  But, when the artist got the chance to do their own thing in a local studio on  a regional label, there are some amazing moments.

Now-a-days, these records are nearly impossible to locate.  They likely enjoyed forms of regional success and sold decent, the label stayed active from the mid-60's into the 70's, but the 45's seem to only be available on-line for high prices.  Collectors started gravitating to rare soul side in the 80's.  People wanted regional and unheard sides, the label's output is now blanketed into the term "Northern Soul," which is a reference to all night dance raves taking place in England, but today just means rare soul.

The most popular of these Forte artists is Kansas City, KS' Marva Whitney.  The collection features two selections from Forte output.  She sustained a fairly successful career after leaving Kansas City.  After Forte, she cut some sides for the famed Federal label.  Then, she was featured as a member of the James Brown touring show and recorded for King.  Her King singles and one studio LP are revered by funk collectors as the some of the dirtiest and raw funk recorded by a female.  In the 80's she found herself recording for number of other labels never catching on in one spot.  Her tracks on this collection are representative of her work, she belts out a song like no other, it's like you're being yelled at, and while the talent around her isn't anywhere near the level she had with King, her tunes here are still stunners.

The collection does showcase what could be termed a Kansas City soul style.  However, lots of obscure, regional soul sounds just as raw as what's featured here.  It's not as clean and crisp (and well, as white) as what Motown was doing.  It's not as earthy and blues oriented as what Stax was doing.  It's not as funky as James Brown, but tries awful hard to be.  The main purpose is to get people out to the dance floor, so it's up-tempo, sock-to-me style soul.  Shouters and screamers that would make you think of Sam & Dave or Dyke and the Blazers.  During the 70's the label did allow for more experimentation, Olathe, KS' Everyday People Life reach into prog-rock realms while trying to conjure a Sly & Family Stone feel.  There's also some Willie Mitchell/Al Green style slickness attempted, some of great, some of it only decent. Overall a highly recommended release filled with obscure, but amazing Kansas City musicians.

Marva Whitney Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bears
The Fantasticks-Cry Night and Day

Brothers Heritage Sin-The-Tic RMS Records 1979

Brothers Heritage Sin-The-Tic RMS Records 1979 CAT# R33079

I love this type of thing for the rarity, obscurity and weirdness.  This is a private press release from some jazz nerds in Kansas City.  I stress the words nerd not just in the jazz sense, but they sing about some pretty absurd stuff.  If I had to classify this release, Jazz Fusion is a good term, Cosmic Disco/Boogie is better.  The disco elements brings a lot of synth and a ton of funk inspired moments throughout the grooves and some huge drum breaks.  There's also a lot of pop/rock influence, definitely on the art rock  side of things, whichever player is channeling that vibe is obviously a huge Queen fan.  Most tracks feature vocals and not much can be said for the singing, but that's where most the weirdness comes into play.  They use abstract harmonies and have some bizarre lyrics.

The record itself has some collector's appeal based on the jazz-funk aspect.  The initial on-line discovery saw the album selling for over $100 to collectors.  Since then the price has tapered down drastically and you can now score a copy between $20 to $40.  The folks that initially drove the value of the album up were beat jockies and sample junkies.  Hip-Hop enthusiasts looking for drum breaks and un-sampled sounds.  Once they get the stuff out there, the value went down.  It makes sense for the album.  It's inspired music with amazing ideas throughout (and again, killer drum breaks), but as far as putting together one great track, the brothers couldn't do it.  Too many ideas crammed into single tracks.  The LP was produced by one of the members and you get the sense a producer would've have focused the band on a single groove.  Some of the tracks contain sudden and abrupt changes that could have just easily been several different songs entirely.

Unfortunately, I can't find much info on these dudes.  The LP lists Kansas City as home base and notes it was recorded at Sound Recorders Studio in K.C., but for all I know, that could be the home of one of the players.  Features three brothers, Dennis, Phil, and Kevin Rogers along with a host of other players.  Dennis Rogers handles most the drum work and is fantastic.  Kevin Rogers handles guitars and Phil does a lot of synth work.  The album was engineered by Kansas Citian, Ron Ubel, who did a lot work locally and nationally as a sound engineer.

James Brown Maybe I'll Understand/I Love You King

James Brown Maybe I'll Understand/I Love You King CAT # K-12594

The sickness continues.  Just picked this up, because it fits the rules of my 7" collection in my warped, vinyl damaged mind.

It's obviously good, it's James Brown.  He didn't start to suck until the 80's and even then, he didn't suck as bad as other hanger-ons.

Here's Kansas City nugget, for you.  At Mr. Brown's funeral, Kansas City, KS born and raised singer, Marva Whitney was invited to be a singer.  Like Brown, she recorded for King.  More on her later, though.

James Brown Mother Popcorn Parts 1 & 2 King 1969

James Brown Mother Popcorn Parts 1 & 2 King 1969 CAT # 45-6245

Record collecting is a strange hobby.  It becomes addictive because it's so easy to do..  It's so easy that most collectors begin to overwhelm themselves in the amount of vinyl they pick up.  This is especially true when you're new to the hobby.  You just start buying stuff at places like Goodwill for a dollar just because it looks interesting or you've heard of the band (never mind liking the music) just as a way to continue and grow the collection.

For me, this was especially true of 45s.  The things are cheap and easy to find.  In any pile that you find at a thrift store or a garage sale, you're bound to find some gems.  I bought the crap out of them throughout college and beyond.  In fact, I was buying boxes full without ever looking at them first.  I mean, how could you resist a plastic bag full of 50 of them at a thrift store for a couple bucks?

First problem with this method is that you end up with a lot of crap.  Second problem is that these things were played a lot.  In jukeboxes, on crappy turntables, on radio stations, when you buy a 7" from the 60's there is a really good chance it will sound like shit and completely defeat the purpose of listening to music on vinyl.  Yet another problem is that there is nothing you can do with the loads of crap you have outside of just giving it away.  If it's beat up, common, or by an artist no one cares about, no one will buy it off you.  You're stuck with it until you find a way to sell in bulk at a garage sale or on Craigslist for a super cheap price, but, that also creates a problem because who wants to feel they're ripping the next guy off, right?  If you can't do that, they all go back to a thrift store or sit in your home collecting dust.

Much of my 45 collection gotten to the collecting dust point.  I had nowhere to put all these records and there was no need to own them.  So, I made a conscious decision to dump the 45 collection.  I mean, at this point I'm pretty grown up, I have a wife and kids.  I no longer had the energy to get up off my ass every 3 minutes to flip a side, so focusing on LPs made perfect sense.  I began selling the good stuff on eBay, made a bunch of money, bought LPS with money earned.  Then, I took the good stuff with minor condition issues and posted on Craigslist, "Will trade 45s for LPS."  That worked out okay, got a few bites and thinned the collection out a little more.  The decent stuff went to stores for trade value I used to buy more LPS.

At this point came regret.  I sold and traded some really cool stuff.  The amazing LPS I picked up along the way didn't seem so amazing anymore.  I'd also held onto some stuff that was still important to me, mostly the local stuff from bands I knew in my douche bag hipster days.  I knew I was never going to have it in me to sell off the first Get Up Kids 7", so a compromise was made to thin out the collection.  The only 7"s I would hold onto would be local.  Problem solved, right?  I got rid of everything but some R.E.M. 45s (couldn't do it, like that band too much) and retained locals.  The idea was, 7" collection is done, it's complete, not buying anymore.

Well, fuck if I don't buy the shit out of local 7"s.  I mean, once I gave myself an excuse.  However, I am more focused right now on scoring 45s than I was before, so that helps keep things in check.  That is until I read a quote James Brown, Godfather of Soul, in which he stated that he lived in Kansas City for a year while his father worked in Olathe, Kansas.  Apparently, he lived on Harrison Street in KCMO when he was between the ages of 14 and 15.  So, of course, the first James Brown 45 I see after reading that quote; I bought.

I've convinced myself that because James Brown lived in Kansas City for small amount of time it fits my collection.  I mean, I'm making fun of myself for doing it, that's how absurd record collecting can be.  I'm not buying James Brown because he's a local artist.  I'm just buying James Brown 45s because he's awesome and I want to own more vinyl.

Mother Popcorn

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984 Cat #FZ39146

Eh, the story behind this band is better than the album pictured here.  I've listened to it a few times and I can't remember anything other than the slick 80's production.  What happened to soul music in the 80's?  I mean what a fucking crime?  Soul music is great until about 1978.  Disco happened, I get that.  But, there was some solid late-70's disco influence boogie coming out and this band put out sides like this.  Then in the 80's things just had to sound plastic and fake.  All the "soul" was removed in favor of programmed beats and the occasional "Yooow!"  Earth, Wind, & Fire was good at the sound, but everyone else sounded like a cheap imitation.

Somewhere in all the synthesizers and programmed beats, I'm sure there was some good songs here, but I can't find them.  Further, there's probably some great samples and sounds that beat jockeys have used in hip-hop production, I just don't care.  Again, if you don't have 8 members, don't try and sound like Earth, Wind & Fire by using studio tricks, it just falls flat.

But, the band does have an interesting story.  The band formed in the early 60's as soul/doo wop group called the Sinceres.  Later, they toured with a horn section regionally as a Motown influenced review and became a huge attraction in Westport.  In the 70's, they picked up instruments and learned to play as a band and changed their name to Bloodstone.  First they attempted Los Angeles and didn't find success.  They then left for England and were signed by Decca.  They were doing the Al Green sound, funky, but with a rock edge (remember, they were rocking their own instruments).  Success in England brought them back to the States and the song 'Natural High' was a R&B hit, the album of the same name would go Gold.  That was about the band's peak, but they continued to put out records, even did some stuff with Motown at one point.  Solid KC band and one of the few well known soul acts to come from the area.

Contagious