The Swiss Yé-Yé of Josiane Rey!

Time for another French (or French speaking to be exact) maiden to grace these humble pages - and the honour this week goes to a Swiss belle by the name of Josiane Rey! Mlle. Rey is an elusive character to track down, however what is known is that she released 3 EP's and one single on the Swiss Arpege label circa 1967. Her recordings range from the swinging homage to aeronautics (En Jet) to the Cossack inspired Casatchok de la Volga to dulcet ballad of Reste Dans Mo Coeur. Other highlights include the fab Notre Amour A Dormi Tout Un Hiver and the ace Elapostrofaemo-uere. In the download you'll find all 3 EP's for your delight! The rundown looks like this.....

Josiane Rey (Aperge 4501)

Sous Les Lampions

Notre Amour A Dormi Tout Un Hiver

En Jet

C'est Bon

Josiane Rey (Aperge 4502)

Tambours Battant

Non Monsieur

Le Petit Porte-bonheur

Reste Dans Mon Coeur

Josiane Rey (Aperge 4503)

Un Medaillon

Par La Tendresse

Elapostrofaemo-uere

Casatchok de la Volga

Accompany Josiane on her recordings is the talented Alain Morisod, except or her last one where Andre Borli takes the helm! Josiane nowadays maybe be a doctor or botique owner - who knows! I hope you very much enjoy what musical career she did undertake! Included also in the download are some high-quality scans of the sleeves - as they quite groovy!

Sample the delightful Miss Rey here!

The Same - Just Not The Same

Another female band that the sixties, in particular the late sixties, gave birth to were a high school quintet that went by the name of The Same. Hailing from the Arlington Heights area in Illinois, they managed to record at least one single at the Valentine Studios in California, the release Sunshine, Flowers and Rain/If You Love Me, Really Love Me. Members included Judy Selman (lead gt.), Debbie Reiss (rhythm gtr.), Vicki Selman (bass gtr.) , Donna Smelak (drums) and Vicki Hubly (lead singer). The group toured several towns in their homestate, and various venues in Chicago, including The New Place, The Crimson Cougar, and the Dark Spot while sharing the bill with bands such as The Cryin' Shames and Michael and the Messengers. Judging by the paisley glory of the girls threads they tried to encapsulate that flower power vibe flowing at the time - plus if you download the songs you'll hear how they pull the same thing off with their sound! Other outfits included pink 'poor' sweaters and maroon skirts. A newspaper article from the time explains that the girls were not allowed to pratice during the week, but their parents do not object alltogether as they see it as an overall postive experience for them. While not performing the girls enjoyed ordinary teenage activities including listening to records, going to dances and talking on the phone in-between doing homework.

While not anything spectacular, they're still another fascinating entry in the annals of 60's female bands! As one student at the time comments "I think 'The Same' is groovy, and they show what really good music a group consisting entirely of girls can produce"!

Dig The Same Here!

The Crown Prince of YéYé Land

One of the smallest but certainly brighter stars of YéYé explosion in France in the early sixties was a young chap by the name of Pascal Krug, or to give his stage name Le Petit Prince. Born in Switzerland on the 3rd February 1952 he had a natural flair for strumming the guitar at an early age and quickly rose attention at an appearance at a national music festival in his home country. At just 11, he was offered a contract with the French record company Barclay by producer Ken Lean. After securing the deal he was approached and went on to be managed the singer Claude François who he went on to later to tour with in 1963 alongside the group Les Gams. 11 singles and two albums later the inevtiable happend, and the small prince had to grow up - still he managed one EP in 1968 after his voice had taken the low road!

The few recordings I have heard of the prince have all been ace, combining good production with Pascal's talented singing voice. And on offer to download is his EP from 1964, Chante Avec Moi with fellow performer Franck Alamo. Francky comments on why he got together with the prince with the wise words "He is nice, spontaneous, sings and adores playing guitar like me!" Chante Avec Moi turns out to be a pretty catchy ditty - however the highlight is definitely the cover of Rag Doll, retitled Triste Noel - very worthy cover! Plus Pascal lends a hand to writing too with S'il Faut Grandir. The EP rounds of with the track Ces Gens-La.

Listen To His Highness Here!

Power to Romina!

Hey! Apologies for a lack of updates - in a bit of a transitory situation - but expect more soon! In the mean time I had to post this vid of a 15 yeard old Romina Power performing her second single from 1965, Apri Quell'ombrello - What a great a song! Dig those shapes she throws as well - too cool - and quite refreshing from what the standard of Italia's female singers!

The Linda Gayle Collection

One of the most intruiging and stand out of all the artists featured on the Girls in the Garage series, certainly one of the most racaus was a certain Linda Gayle....so naturally I had to dig deeper! Information, certainly in-depth information, on Ms Gayle is sadly none too forth coming - however I have mananged to collate a number of singles from her career during the 60's and now two fab videos of Linda herself have surfaced on YouTube - woop!

The two songs featured on GITG, Maggie's Farm and I've Got My Mojo Working, are the strongest faire, Stop, however another two singles, Stop, Look, Listen/Goodnight Irene, and Where Have You Been/Twist and Shout feat. the Duke of Coventry are certainly top pickings too. Her other records took a more mellow, slightly country pace - suiting the tone of her voice perhaps, and are well worth a listen too. Here's what's included in the bunch -

Baby Don't Go/Would It Make Any Difference To You (Columbia 44140)
Goodnight Irene/Stop, Look, Listen (CBS 43359)
Wishing It Was You/ (Columbia 43659)
Maggie's Farm/I've Got My Mojo Working (Columbia 43462)
Where Have You Been/Twist and Shout (feat. The Duke of Coventry) (Columbia 43854)
True Love Like Daddy's Love/The One That Stands By Me (Pompeii 66699)

Get Your Mojo Workin' Here!

Update at Girl Garage Mayhem!

Here whats on offer at Girl Garage Mayhem this time!!

The Reynettes - Bei Mir Mist Du Schon

The fabulous sisters and brother act make a welcome return to these pages - with one ace cover of Bei Mir Mist Du Schon. From their begingings in 1963, Luzviminda, Baby, Rosa, Jeanette and John entertained audiences on TV, stage, radio and nightclubs both in Hong Kong and all over the far East. They were mangaged by their from musician father, Mistra Reyes, and released this, their second EP in 1966.

Gilded Cage - Long Long Road

She Trinty too return in the form of their latter outfit, Gilded Cage! Both sides of this disc are bliss, so expect to hear the flip fairly soon! Of course more info on the group can always be found here Here's a nice cover from the Swedish release

Lada Edmund - Foxy

Lada Edmund, or Lada Edmund Jr to be precise was THE go-go dancer on Hullaballoo - caged and fringe flying! However before she hit the spotlight as a dancer she released this stomper at the tender age of 13. She subsequently released a few more on Decca, including Northern soul fave, The Larue! Check out this groovy vid of her and the rest of the Hullaballoo crew throwing some shapes to the Batman theme!

The Boys N Ivy - Soul Kitchen

The Boys N Ivy hailed from Youngstown, Ohio and were active between 67-68, recording this sole record in the process. Soul Kitchen is the cover of The Doors track, and quite nice it is too!

The Crazy Women - Hey Joe

Another stop by those Nordic rockers, The Crazy Women - as before all you need to know is here!

A Date With Toni McCann

Sorry for the lace of updateness of late, especially of the bubblegum kind! - and there's none to be found this time either - but!!!! - it is the turn of Aussie belter Toni McCann to take centre stage - and take it she does! A fantastic interview with Toni can be found here on the Wild About You website. But to paraphrase it a little here's a short summise!


English born Toni emigrated to Australia around the age of 15, where immdiately she set about forging in her way in the music biz. After a meeting at a talent contest with beat group The Blue Jays and regularly performing live as their leading lady she scored a regular slot on the Saturday Date music show as well as laying down the shows title theme. The group went on to release two stomin' singles, incuding the tracks My Baby, No, Saturday Date and If You Don't Come Back - all included here! I urge you to read on at Wild About You too!

Get Groovin With Toni!

Here's a rad vid of Toni and Royce Nicholls of The Blue Jays from the everwondermine of YouTube!

The Sanjalice Collection

And so it is the turn of another all-femme-band to grace these pages - and this time it is none other than Balkan beat babes, Sanjalice aka The Dreamers. This compilation compiles their entire known output, i.e three EPs worth of goodies! Hailing from the former Yugoslavia these four girls first banded together around 1966, and went on to release three records in there career as well as touring some of Europe. Band members included Ljiljana Mandic, Slobodanka Miscevic, Ljiljana Jeftic and Snezana Veselinovic. There's a ton more info on this website, but unfort my Serbo-Croat is sadly lacking!

The obvious standouts from their reportoire are the songs Mi Mladi and Bez Reci, both cover of English language numbers, and both given a thouroughly rocking going over! Other recordings too are various covers, including ones of Happy Together, My Lady and Puppet On a String.

Enjoy!

Download Here!

The Charms of The Enchanted Forest

Hell-o once more! Thought I'd actually better post some more music this time round! Just in case you were getting worried......, well I was anyway! And this time we have something quite nice - nice meaning bejesusly good - of course! One of the best all female bands I have come across are a quintet called The Enchanted Forest, who recorded a couple of natch records at the latter end of the 1960's. Information and images on the group are very much elusive - however there are some interesting titbits to dilvulge - mainly on the people surrounding the group! Rumour has it tho' that one of the members had a famous sibling!

The first connections are with the writers and prouducers of the records, mainly one Mort Schman and one Kenny Lynch. Schuman and Lynch struck up a partnership in the mid-60's which led to among others writing the notable hit Sha-La-La-La-Lee for the Small Faces. However they obviously left their best mark with said group of female musicians! The Enchanted Forest released a grand sum of three records, however two feature the same A-side, and so 5 tracks alltogether! Released on both sides of the Atlantic, the recordings feature some great girl group-cum-pysch harmonies and pop delights! Most impressive is the track You're Never Gonna Get My Lovin', also covered by a couple of other artists, notably The Stockingtops who feature on the latest Dream Babes compilation. I would place my monies on saying the Forest's version is the definitive, but I shall always have bias for female bands regardless! The rest of their line reads like this....

You're Never Gonna Get My Loving / Suzanne STATESIDE SS 2080
The Word Is Love / I'm Not That Kind of Girl VARIATIONS 8687
The Word Is Love / Cold Winds- VARIATIONS 50011

Oh yes....I have forgot to mention thus far that the group also worked and backed for the legend that is Tiny Tim , of which footage has exists and is on the saviour of saviours that is YouTube. Here they are playing in the background while Tim glugs out Earth Angel!



Allright here are the goods!

Click Here For Enchantment!

Carmen Maki

Hey! Just a quick post to introduce the charms of Japan's Carmen Maki, with a fanastic folk effort from the early stage of her career and before things got a bit more, em....., heavy! Born in 1951, her career has lasted from the mid-60's to the present day. I nabbed the longer version of this song from YouTube before it dissapeared - phew! If anyone can reccomend any similar artists (female of course!) from Japan I would be more than a happy chappy!

Unknown Acetate - River Girl

Hey! Coming up this week is this mysterious acetate I found lurking in the depths of some random vinyls. Pretty standard late 60's affair Im reckoning but if any could tell me who the male crooner might be that would be ace!

Get me!

D'Lynn Crist Has Got You

Hey! Another quick post to mention an update of my myspace blog, Girl Garage Mayhem, that features one amazing record at the momento by D'Lynn Crist, definitely one the girl garage greats! From the Mary Weiss-esque despondent vocals to the pounding backing garage beat, and of course the spoken interludes - its pure and sheer genius and written no less by the lady herself. The record itself was issued on a label set up by her father, a local Cincinatti car dealership mogul, round 1967. D'Lynn also released at least one further record - which of course I would love to get my grubby mits on. Hope you enjoy it as much as me! And oh yes the others and preety darn swell too!

Girl Garage Mayhem!

Céline & Liette - Les Fleurs d'amour

Just a quick post to display and give notice to the talents of two sisters from Quebec, Celine and Liette Lopez! The song, Les Fleurs D'Amour is from 1968 - and what a song! Gotta love the slow-mo go-go dancer action too!

Another round of Cafe Con Leche - please!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Yo! Due to a couple of requests, here is a updated repost of the kidpoptastic duo of Cafe Con Leche! Updated due to the inclusion of 4 new tracks, which include another single Sing Your Song! Which means the entire output of the group! How amazing is that! While not reaching the phonic heights of Land of Light, the additional numbers do capture that Cafe Con Leche spirit of love, light and happiness, which is pretty groovy!

Included are as follows:

The Bubble Gum Song/Puppy Bobby
The Land of Light/Fly Away
Sing Your Song/Do It Again

Bit of more info on the group. The two members were called Monica Glaysher and Freddy McCoy - both who had fathers who worked in a US Army Base in Spain. Monica's dad was the leader of the choir, while Freddy's was an aviation sargeant. Whats twice as cool is that they both co-wrote some of their songs! Enjoy once more!

☆Pick up your order here!☆

Sunshine Rays of Los Massot

Hey! So so sorry for such a delay in postings - middle of moving house blah blah yadda - but here's something fun for February! Just picked up this today for the grand sum of 25p - wahey! The group Los Massot hail from Majorca but that's all I've really gathered of them so far! Included are the songs Un Rayo De Sol and slightly skewed cover of Sugar Sugar - of course no cover could beat the original!

Download Please!

The Orange Krush

Hey! Just something quick and slightly strange! Mainly because I don't know anything about it. Fitting loosley into the pop-psych category it came out as the first release on Hype records at somepoint in the 60's! The titles are Get Yourself Together/Window of My Eyes - and kinda also fits into the early 20th century referential theme ala The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde - Enjoy!

Download Here

The Bantams - Follow Me

Hey! Just to continue the kid-pop theme here are The Bantams performing 'Follow Me Girl' - great stuff and enought to cheer up any old January day! And once I get their LP (eventually!) you can be assured you'll here it here!

I Know I'm In Love With Chee Chee and Peppy!

Hey! And who's here to give us a warm welcome to the year of 2008? Well it's the fabbest duo to come out of the spangle paradise that was the 70's, Chee Chee and Peppy! - wow that's like 36 years ago! (Man, need to stop watching Countdown....)

Anyway! Just who were Chee Chee and Peppy??? Well after some snooping or the SoufulDetriot forums - here's some background infomation and musings!

Chee Chee (Keith Boilling) was born in 1957 in Frankfort, PA while Peppy (Dorothy Moore) entered into the world in Morristown, PA in 1959. The jury's out on whether they were brother or sister (which would make them a MUCHO cooler Same Difference), but they both got together in 1971 (14 and 12 years old respectively) to eventually record two full albums and few singles to add to the bargain! Apparently they named themselves after their pet dogs, which they reported when they appeared on an recording of the Soul Time music show!

You may have heard "I Know I'm In Love", their most successful single, and hopefully like me admit that it is the upmost A-mazing slice of Bubblegum soul! And so I eventually managed to seek out their first self-titled LP from 1972, for a resonable amount as well - and love it I did! Released on Buddah records, it was masterminded by notable producer Jesse James, with him making up the vast majority of the songwriting credits. Also included are covers of Mocking Bird and This Magic Moment. Of note is the included version of I Know I'm In Love seems to be a slightly different version to the released single, as Chee Chee's voice is a tad deeper (naturally I guess considering it was recorded a year later!) and runs for a slightly shorter frame of time.

After "I Know..." the hits dried up but eventually the two came back to release another album and single on the Branding Iron label, both called Super You.

Ok ok, now here's the place where you can lap up and listen to this gooey-soul masterpiece!!!

Enjoy!!!

I love Chee Chee and Peppy*