Billy J. Kramer With The Dakotas, "We're Doing Fine" c/w "Forgive Me," Parlophone [UK] R 5408 (rel. 2/1966) Billy J. Kramer, part of Brian Epstein’s stable of Liverpool talent, was the weakest of the lot when he was most popular. The bashful boy ...

Liverpool lad in the deep shadow of The Beatles breaks out as a performer of note; no one noticed. 1966 single produced by George Martin unissued in the States.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/bill...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Liquo"

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Hi, Gug Gug Talk!"

JEAN WELLS, "I FEEL GOOD" C/W "I'M IN YOUR CORNER," CALLA 137 (REL. 11/1967) Jean Wells grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. Born in 1942, she had a typical upbringing of a future soul music star. She sang in her fa...

A deep-soul twin-spin of exquisite passion by the great Jean Wells. A 1967 Calla Records rarity.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/jean...

THE WILDMEN, "KING OF THE JUNGLE" C/W PEREZ & BRANA, "THE CRAZY CUBAN," COLUMBINE 101 (REL ?/1958) Today we have the kind of record I wish I could serenade you with every Saturday. Alas, there aren’t a lot of them. Though the A-side is t...

A record like no other. One-shot novelty jungle rock 'n' roll from 1958. Lovable rocker on side A; nightmare Latin-jazz shorty on B (with uncredited King Curtis on sax). A Cramps favorite!

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "You Name It!"

HEDGEHOPPERS ANONYMOUS, "DON'T PUSH ME" C/W "PLEASE DON'T HURT YOUR HEART FOR ME," LONDON 9417 (REL. 2/1966) NEW EPISODE OF THE PODCAST TODAY! Jonathan King was Britain’s equivalent to Phil Sloan. Both wrote pop songs with great hooks but were com...

Two songs by UK collegiate-turned-protest-cat Jonathan King, as sung by Royal Air Force enlistees, 1966.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/hedg...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "From 'Extraordinarily Talkative and Argumentative Monsters' #6, 1951"

A SECOND HELPING OF RAW AND URGENT SOUNDS ON A DELAYED-BUT-DELOVELY NEW PODCAST! No fancy stuff for this, the 99th episode of our music podcast. We've assembled a rugged regimen of earthy emoluments slated to send you s...

One week late but chock full of passionate, intense music, here's the second installment of our Raw And Urgent series. One hour of vernacular music goodness from 1952-1964.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-se...

BABY WASHINGTON, "DEEP DOWN LOVE" C/W "YOUR MOMMA KNOWS WHAT'S RIGHT," NEPTUNE 116 (REL. 5/1960) Jeanette “Baby” Washington never disappoints. This 1960 Neptune Records single got no publicity—a pity, since it’s an excellent release and ...

Baby Washington.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/baby...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Indian Dream Mine"

THE PIXIES, "CRY LIKE A BABY" C/W "JUST A LITTLE TEAR," DON-DEE 102 (REL. 6/1963; COLLECTION UPGRADE FROM POST #883) The Pixies (not the ever-popular indie rock band, nor ‘60s white girl-group The Pixies 3) are part of a confusing mess of same-named group...

Not the Frank Black-led indie-rock group; emotional Black teen girls deliver a walloping two-fer, from a superior second pressing of 1963.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Bag to Otho (Smoker-Friendly)"

MARLINA MARS, "THE CORRECT FORM" C/W "JOHNNY'S HEART," CAPITOL 4922 (REL. 3/1963) Marlene Jenkins kept busy in the music world, but never as herself. She was one of a mass of backup singers on The Jaynetts’ entrancing #2...

A rhythm and blues Zelig who never found fame as herself, with two fine 1963 girl-group items with that big New York sound...

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/marl...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "DC Doings With Masquerade Guy"

JAY & DEE, "WHAT A NIGHT, NIGHT, NIGHT" C/W "DREAM TALK," ARLISS 1008 (REL.10/1961) Doris Troy made three singles prior to her 1963 hit “Just One Look.” The first two were under her real-life name Doris Payne; the third wa...

Northern Soul favorite Doris Troy in a feisty r&b duet with ? via a rare 1961 off-brand single. Great songs and sound!

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/jay-...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Your Congo Jack Bumper-Sticker"

BILLY & LILLIE, "WHIP IT TO ME BABY" C/W "LOVE ME SINCERELY," ABC-PARAMOUNT 45-10421 (REL. 4/1963) I must confess that I’ve ignored the records of Billy And Lillie. A couple of their Swan Records singles are among the most commonly-found...

Zesty r&b duets for your Sunday enjoyment.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/bill...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Room? Check? Biscuit?"

THE ECHOLETTES, "MY BABY LOVES ME" C/W "MY BEAU JOE," IMPERIAL 5954 (REL. 6/1963) From the mainstream sounds of yesterday’s single, we visit a deep crevice of the twilight zone—a place where prudish, stoic nostalgia co-ex...

The eeriest record you'll hear today--and maybe tomorrow. You need to hear it.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Capitalism, in a Nutshell"

cutting to the chase:

Just released: Report on the absurd failure and massive waste of the inept DOGE misadventure. Damning evidence of sheer stupid at (non)-work.

www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6vxx9...

Jack Kirby's take on Project 2025, from 1976:

THE PASSIONS, "MADE FOR LOVERS" C/W "YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE," AUDICON 112 (REL. 4/1961) Apologies for the one-week delay on the podcast. Time has not been on my side the last week or so, but I'll have it for Friday next. It sh...

The other side of teen music: the stirring sounds of The Passions, Brooklyn kids who got lucky, via a scarce 1961 single.

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "There Grammer Iz Awl Wrong Their"

I don't blame you. This one is just...itself.

RICK RANDLE & THE ROCKERS, "I'M HURT" C/W "THAT DAY," ARC 4445 (REL. 10/1958) Rick Randle (or Randell) is not Joe Pesci. This urban myth is just that: hogwash. He did perform with Pesci, famous for his psychotic, pa...

Joe Pesci's pal and musical collaborator Rick Randell on a raw, rockin' and haunting 1958 teen blast of horniness and angst. Whew-ee!

franksjookbox.blogspot.com/2025/07/rick...

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "What to Expect Tomorrow Morning"

Today's PANELS2PONDER©: "Ghost Gibberish"