As the astute Boogaloo Bag reader may note, two weeks ago, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus DJ’d at Union Pool. His co-DJ that night was Avi Spivak. Not only is Mr. Spivak a swingin’ DJ, but he is a very hip artist specializing in mind-blowing, cartoon-like images. He has  his own art gallery shows in Brooklyn, makes covers for magazines, illustrates album covers,  draws flyers for big rock shows, and edits his own rock/cartoon fanzine called Human Being Lawnmower. Perhaps his finest shining moment is the drawings he did for Kicksville Confidential, the story of Norton Records as told through cartoons. In fact, Mr. Spivak is so busy with his artwork that there is most likely several things he’s done that have gone unnoticed by the Boogaloo Bag writers.

This just in: Mr. Spivak, along with our pals Josh Styles and Sophie Thunder, is currently working to open Rebel Rouser*, a spectacular new retail environment that will sell records, comic books and various select specialty items.

Guest DJ Avi Spivak consults with fellow DJ Leah Lugosi at the DYNAGROOVE!

It was no cartoon show at the DYNAGROOVE on Friday the 13^th, when Avi Spivak was guest DJ for host The Boogaloo Omnibus. Teddy’s Bar & Grill swung mightily during Mr. Spivak’s groovy sixty-minute set, during which The Boog enjoyed a catfish dinner, cooked to perfection by the mighty, mighty Teddy’s kitchen staff. Now that it’s summer, Teddy’s also features some of the best lemonade a person can drink. Some of the finest (and most reasonably priced!) dining in Williamsburg can be found at Teddy’s.

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus also played a few good 45s, as witnessed by his set list below:

• Charlie Parker–Now’s the Time (Columbia; UK)
• Bill Doggett–Shove Off (King)
• Herbie Hancock–Blind Man, Blind Man (Blue Note)
• Sugarman Three–Solid Funk (Soul Fire)
• Carolyn Crawford–My Smile Is Just a Frown Turned Upside Down (Motown)
• The Heptones–Fattie Fattie (Randy Box)
• Shirley Scott Trio–Can’t Get Over the Bossa Nova (Impulse)
• Vinnie Burke–St. Thomas (Astro)
• Charlie Byrd with the Walter Raim Strings–O Barquinho (Little Boat) (Riverside)
• Lionel Newman and His Orchestra–Dobie (Decca)
• Tito Rodriguez and His Orchestra–Ko Ko Mo – Mambo (RCA Victor)
• King Curtis–More Soul (Capitol)
• Aretha Franklin–Don’t Cry Baby (Columbia)
• Rahmah Ali; Dan Kores–Ratu Sahari (Life; Malaysia)
• Charles Bradley featuring the Budos Band–Changes (Dunham)
• The T-Bones–Tee Hee Hee (My Life Seems Different Now) (Liberty)
• Lascelles Perkins; Granville Williams Orchestra–Bam Bam (Scepter)
• Lou Donaldson–Snake Bone (Blue Note)
• Monk Higgins–Vee Pea (Dunhill)
• Ray Johnson–I Heard It Through the Grapevine (In Arts)
• Sarah Vaughan–Doodlin’ (Mercury)
• Dee Dee Warwick–Suspicious Minds (Atco)
• Gato Barbieri & His Orchestra–Last Tango in Paris (United Artists)
• Underground Vegetables–Melting Pot (Ximeno)
• The Tokens–Ain’t That Peculiar (Warner Bros.)
• Funkadelic–Can You Get to That (Westbound)
• The Jay Vons–Maybe I Loved You (Cryptovision)
• The Soul Reps–Soul Food (Limelight)
• Rhetta Hughes–Gimme Some of Yours – I’ll Give You Some of Mine (Tetragrammaton)
• Oscar Brown Jr.–One Two Three O’Leary (Fontana)
• Bo Diddley–Aztec (Checker)
• Lalo Schifrin–The Man From Thrush (Verve)
• Santo and Johnny–Thunderball (United Artists)
• Cookin’ on 3 Burners–Gravel Rash (Bamboo Shack)
• The Gaturs–Cold Bear (Atco)
• Gregory Isaacs–Love Is Overdue (GG; Jamaica)
• The Meters–Africa (Reprise)
• David T. Walker–Watch Out Dynamite (Revue)
• The Bill Beau Trio–The Giggle Wiggle (Gee Kay)
• Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers–Doin’ What I Wanna (Atlantic)
• The Betty Smith Group–Hand Jive (London)
• The Utica Club Natural Carbonation Band–The Utica Club Natural Carbonation Beer Drinking Song (RCA Custom)
• The Charleston Esquires–Groovin’ Is Easy (Mamoth)
• Teddy and the Pandas–The Lovelight (Timbrl)
• The Kinks–Where Have All the Good Times Gone (Reprise)
• Richard Anthony–Baby (Out of Time) (Pathé; Canada)
• Sylvie-Anne–Un Tour Dehors (Dorval; Canada)
• The Casper Trio–The Beat Goes On (Casper)
• Barbara Mason–He’s Got to Love Me (Arctic)
• Baby Huey & the Babysitters–Mighty Mighty Children Pt. 1 (Radio Active Gold)
• Luther Ingram–Puttin’ Game Down (Ko Ko)
• Joe Moore–I’ve Got My Sweet Baby (Verve)
• Marie ‘Queenie’ Lyons–See and Don’t See (De Luxe)
• Fred & the New J.B.’s–Makin’ Love (People)
• Jay Berliner–Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone (Mainstream)
• Jimmy McGriff–The Theme From Shaft (Groove Merchant International)
• Harvey Averne Band–Stand (Fania)
• The Latin Quarters–Mira Mira (Red Bird)
• Mongo Santamaria–Twenty-Five Miles (Columbia)
• The Mighty Soul Cats–True True Loving (Bradmack)
• The Remo Four–Peter Gunn (Star-Club; Germany)
• Akiko Wada–Boy and Girl Stray Cat Rock (RCA; Japan)
• Groundhog–Take It Off (Jad)
• Nino Ferrer–Mao et Moa (Riviera; Canada)
• Lionel Hampton & the Inner Circle–Them Changes (Brunswick)
• Elio Gandolfi–Hair (Capelli) (Carosello; Italy)
• Don Costa and His Orch.–Hully Gully (Columbia)
• Grover Mitchell–That’s a Good Idea (Vee Jay)
• Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure–Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing (Checker)
• Marvin Gaye–Hitch Hike (Tamla)
• Jackie Wilson–Baby Get It (And Don’t Quit It) (Brunswick)
• The Chateaus–Moanin’ (Sound Stage 7)
• The Free-Men–Eleanor Rigby (M-G-M)
• Billy Joe Royal–Should I Come Back (Columbia)
• B.J. Baker–Anywhere (Decca)
• Eric Burdon and the Animals–White Houses (M-G-M)
• The Zig Zag Paper Co.–I Feel Free (Bell)
• The Move–Walk Upon the Water (Regal Zonophone; UK)
• The Kane Triplets–Theme From ‘Mission: Impossible’ (United Artists)
• Ozz & His Sperlings–Somebody to Love (M.I.O.B.)
• Les Sharks–Jose (RCA Victor Canada International; Canada)
• The Brewed–Love in Them There Hills (Atlantic)
• Branding Iron–Right Tight and Out of Sight (Volt)
• Russell Evans and the Nite Hawks–Send Me Some Cornbread (Atco)
• Bill Doggett–Si-Si-Nova (King)
• The Van-Dells–The Honeydripper (Stax)
• Willie Bobo–Juicy (Verve)
• Sandy Nelson–The Charge (Imperial)
• Gene Ludwig–Sticks & Stones – Part I (Atlantic)
• Eldridge Holmes–Popcorn Pop Pop (Alon)
• Miriam–My Love Has Gone (Norton)
• Ornette Coleman–Theme From a Symphony (Variation Two) (Horizon)

None of these records are for sale.

* – Rebel Rouser will be located at 867 Broadway, between Locust and Belvidere Streets in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The official grand opening will be on Sunday June 29 at 2pm.

Daddy Long Legs swings at the Norton Records Triple Record Release Show!

If someone were to put a squirt gun to the respective heads of the Boogaloo Bag writers and say, “Name your favorite record company!” it is with no doubt whatsoever that they would name Norton Records. Here is a record label that is able to issue one pretty darn fabulous record after another, year after year for, gee, how many years now? Certainly more than twenty, so perhaps about thirty years. Every Norton release deserves consideration for action on one’s turntable (or CD player, if one swings digitally). There is not a single major record company that can make the same boast! The only current record company that comes close would be the crew at Daptone. After that, what’s to love?

On Saturday May 31, Norton Records Triple Record Release Show took place in order to celebrate the release of a trio of new long players—one each by long-time Norton recording artists The A-Bones; relative new-comers Daddy Long Legs; and a new discovery, Miriam. The event was held at Union Pool in Williamsburg at which all three acts played, and it was DJ’d by Norton employee Avi Spivak (Human Being Lawnmower) and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus (who has his own Norton connection: dig “Sing This All Together” by The Love Supremes).

Norton Records secret weapon Miriam enchants the crowd with cool, cool cooing!

The event was a golden gasser, with a most excellent opening set by Miriam. Miriam, of course, is Miriam Linna, co-owner of Norton Records and president and chief publisher of Kicks Books. For many years, she sat in the back of the stage beating the drums and singing an occasional song with The A-Bones. On this night, she stood right in front on the stage, sang six groovy songs, and was backed by her own band. Her album, called Nobody’s Baby, is a salute to the female singers of the sixties—especially Jackie DeShannon—and it is an instant classic and is highly recommended.

The A-Bones perform “Gaylord Is a Coward” with the great Gaylord Fields at the Norton Triple Record Release Show!

The A-Bones is as much a part of Norton Records as Norton Records is a part of The A-Bones. With Ms. Linna in back on drums, out front is lead singer Billy Miller—the other half of the Norton Records mean and clean music machine! In concert, The A-Bones can be rockin’ and raw, and this night saw exactly that! Pure, unadulterated garage rock mayhem! The addition of tenor (terror!) saxophonist Stan Zenkoff (previously with The Jigglers) returns them to the super-boss sound of the great Pacific Northwest bands (Sonics, Wailers, Paul Revere & the Raiders) that the band digs so much—a sound that was incomplete when the previous saxophonist left the band a few years ago. Further excitement was created by the primitive howlings of the great Gaylord Fields on several songs toward the end of the set: “Ooo Pah Pah Doo,” “Gaylord Is a Coward” and his hit record “Squat With Me Baby.” The new A-Bones platter, Ears Wide Shut, was recorded on one night in February earlier this year (augmented with Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo) and somehow re-creates the fun and thrill of a live A-Bones show! It is an instant classic and is highly recommended!

Daddy Long Legs whips the crowd into a frenzy at the Norton Records Triple Record Release Show!

Daddy Long Legs is only three men—but what a joyful, righteous, raucous noise these three men can unleash! Lead singer Brian Hurd (AKA Daddy Long Legs) is a very tall fellow with even taller hair who plays the wildest, most terrific blues-wailin’ harmonica conceivable for a young white man in this day and age—imagine if Paul Butterfield was in the MC5! Guitarist Murat Aktürk plays the bossest, most distorted slide guitar this side of Exile on Highway 49—and dig: he’s from Turkey! If Ahmet Ertegun were alive, he would die!! Josh Styles doesn’t play his drums, he attacks them with great big long weapons. A Daddy Long Legs show is not over until the drum set is beaten to a pulp! The new Daddy Long Legs album is called Blood From a Stone and it will blow your mind how fabulous it is. It is an instant classic and is more than highly recommended—it is crucial and mandatory for anybody who reads the Boogaloo Bag!

DJ Avi Spivak cues a boss Italian record at the Norton Records Triple Release Show!

DJs Avi Spivak and Phast Phreddie alternated playing records between bands. Mr. Spivak wowed the crowd by playing a couple boss Italian freak beat pounders. When the live music portion of the Norton Triple Record Release Show was over, an instant DJ booth was set up on the very stage these three fine bands had just rampaged upon and a fantastic frenzy was unfuraled as the two DJs played alternating records for the crowded dance floor that jumped and jived until the wee hours!

Brian Hurd’s magic case of blues harmonicas!

Set lists from all three acts who played the Norton Records Triple Record Release Show!

Cool portrait of Ritchie Valens on the wall of Union Pool on the night of the Norton Records Triple Record Release Show!

 
Here’s a list of all the songs played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus:

• The New Happiness–Good Vibrations (Columbia)
• Ola & the Janglers–California Sun (Gazell Sweden)
• Vic Thomas–Village of Love (Philips)
• Ted Taylor–You Give Me Nothing to Go On (OKeh)
• Willie Wright and His Sparklers–Gibble Gobble (Federal)
• Camelots–Don’t Leave Me Baby (Cameo)
• Boy’s Wonder–All Tied Up (Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace) (Lowland; Netherlands)
• Freddy Cannon–Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (Warner Bros.; France)
• The Belfast Gypsies–People Let’s Freak Out (Loma)
• Thee Midnighters–I Found a Peanut (Chattahoochee)
• The Crawdaddys–I’m Dissatisfied [from EP 5 X 4] (Voxx)
• The Flamin’ Groovies–Teenage Head (Kama Sutra; UK)
• Bo Diddley–Gunslinger (Checker)
• [no artist listed]–Dance the Slurp (7-Eleven)
• Juanucho Lopez and His Orchestra; vocalist: Mon Rivera–El Twist (Spanoramic)
• The Intimates–I’ve Got a Tiger in My Tank (Epic)
• Eddy Mitchell–Pas de Chance (Money) (Barclay; France)
• Underdogs–Get Down on Your Knees (Hideout)
• Elmore James–Strange Blues (Bell)
• Eddie Bo–We Like Mambo (Ace)
• Supremes–Buttered Popcorn (Tamla)
• The Dave Clark Five–Five by Five (Epic)
• The Lyres–Don’t Give It Up Now (Sounds Interesting)
• The Wailers–Out of Our Tree (Norton)
• The Teen Beats–Big Bad Boss Beat (Original Sound)
• Lu Parks Singers–Zap Pow Ee Yow (Ambassador)
• Link Wray and the Raymen–Ace of Spades (Swan)
• The Real Don Steele–Tina Delgado Is Alive (Cameo)
• The Undertakers–Mashed Potatoes (Pye; UK)
• Sonics–Cinderella (Etiquette)
• The Rackets–She’s Got It (Elite Special; Germany)
• Junior Wells–(I Got A) Stomach Ache (Vanguard)
• Chuck and Cleo–Baby (Blue Rock)
• Little Bob–I Got Loaded (La Louisianne)
• Group Axis–Smokestack Lightning (Atco)
• Las Moskas–Me Voy o Me Quedo (Double Shot) (CBS; Mexico)
• The Novas–The Crusher (Parrot)
• Flamin’ Groovies–Somethin’ Else (Epic)
• The Sonics–Boss Hoss (Etiquette)
• Bo Diddley–Somebody Beat Me (Chess; UK)
• The Rock-Fellers–Orange Peel (Valor)
• The Elite–One Potato (Charay)
• Jimmy Stokley and the Exiles–It’s Alligator Time (LTD International)
• The Rolling Stones–Around and Around [from EP Five By Five] (Decca; UK)
• Nathaniel Mayer and His Fabulous Twilights–Going Back to the Village of Love (Fortune)

None of these records are for sale.

Post script: The Norton Records Triple Record Release Show took place on the evening of the middle day of the WFMU Record Fair. A handful of the records played by the Boog were purchased earlier that day!