The Fabulous Raindrops - People Need A Beat / El Putty. USA ~ Denver, Colorado

Now this is something special. I bought a milk crate full of 45s for $5 last weekend from an old Hispanic lady. I took them home and sorted through them. Most in bad condition and about 98% of them were donated to a thrift shop and a few found their way to my $2 show bin. There were two gems in there: The Mod Squad and... by far and away the big one: The Fabulous Raindrops. This was the heavy hitter. And hyper rare. That's how 45 buys go. 200 nickel records and one $500+ treasure.

The labels aren't very telling. One side says "Soul" the other "Ranchera". Do you know what Ranchera is? Think Mexican country music. The label, from the Denver industrial suburb of Commerce City, specialized in Latin music. Hence the style typed on each side. That's just what Latin labels do. If one was to just hear the Ranchera side first, you'd already be in for a surprise. It's instrumental and barely Mexican in construct. 

It's the A) side that is a... banger. And a half (I'm such a hipster now). It's as if someone made it recently as the perfect example of late 60s (or early 70s - who knows?) heavy psychedelic funk. So much phased acid guitar and heavy beats. Separated perfectly for those who love to sample. And what a groove the organ sets. It's not Soul as you would typically associate the term with. And I don't think the label had any idea what they were putting out. With names like Spike and Ricky Martinez, it's interesting that the music sounds more like a private Detroit or Philly ghetto release.

Seeing some dates of 1966 thrown around. No chance. Way too psychedelic for that. I'd go '67 but probably later than that.

Brilliant I tell ya. It's on YouTube so check it out. You can also hear this track on Gear Fab's Psychedelic States: Colorado in the 60s. 

Own.

4/4/25 (new entry)

The Mods - Dry My Eyes / Rosalie. 1967 USA ~ Lincoln, Nebraska

Excellent blue eyed soul that yields to early funk. Good horn charts, solid melodies, high energy, and makes you want to hop around. Great organ too.

The song 'Dry My Eyes' was written by a well known band called The Fabulous Flippers, a group from Genius Hans' favorite town of Hays, Kansas. And the single was released on Fona. There are allegations that The Mods were a pseudonym for The Fabulous Flippers. However it's documented they were "The Modds" and were from Lincoln, Nebraska. They are in the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame in fact. So they grabbed the tune from their label mates is all there is to the story.

Own.

3.5 / 3.5

4/4/25 (new entry)

The Mod Squad - Charge / Mod Squad You All. 1970 USA

This is my kind of funk. Tight, heavy sound, great horn charts, nice vocals. Excellent bottom end. No ripping solos but otherwise a good seat jammer that will have you movin and groovin.

Not sure where they're from. Recorded in Los Angeles and no doubt influenced by the show. Especially brother Linc.

Own.

4/4/25 (new entry)

The TKO's – Dancing With My Baby / Getting Into Something. 1966 USA

I believe this is what they call "a dancer". All instrumental soul funk with wonderful fuzzy organ and jazz tone guitar. The flip side is more Latin influenced. 1966 is the year everything began to turn, and this is another one of those transitional 45s.

Own.

3.5 / 3.0

4/1/25 (new entry)

The Fun Band - Welcome To The Circle / It's Good. 1968 USA ~ Connecticut

One of those under the radar singles you'd think would be more well known and sought after. First side is high energy fuzzy funk, and you long for the guitarist to rip a solo. The b) side is even better, focusing primarily on Hammond with some horns and fuzz in the background. This one let's loose on the organ, and even features a couple of proggy breaks. Who were these guys anyway? And why isn't anyone into them? It's got the right sound. You can pick this 45 up dirt cheap online.

Own. My copy is the other promo but there's not a good photo of it on Discogs.

2/24/25 (review)

Vimana - Zebra / Masquerade. 1977 Brazil

If you arrived at Vimana's sole release with the idea that you were going to hear prog rock, then I think 'Zebra' will have you scratching your head. It's mostly a funk / disco hybrid, common for the 1977 era, though it does sport fine keyboard and guitar solos with some nice percussion sprinkled in. 'Masquerade' is, of course, the overt progressive rock track here. A real beauty, calling on the softer side of classic Yes, with a Mediterranean flair similar to the French and Spanish bands of the time. Some fine bass and flute propel the track to great heights. I can't think of another Brazilian band doing this kind of music in the late 70s.

2/23/20 (first listen / review); 1/21/25 (new entry)

Leong Lau - Late Night Flyer / One Dimensional Man. 1977 Australia

If you're already familiar with the album Dragon Man, then you know what to expect here. Psychedelic funk of the highest order, though in compact single form.

I almost let this get away. They are bonus tracks on the Strawberry Rain CD reissue, but are hidden (I was going to keep the LP reissue instead). Discogs didn't mention them (I just corrected the entry), only RYM did but without a track history. But I couldn't figure out why it said bonus tracks. Further investigation turns out it was my entry (I stopped contributing releases to RYM years ago, so this may have been one of my last ones). So I saved myself. lol.

Own as noted above.

3/1/14 (first listen); 1/18/25 (review / new entry)

The Mousetrap – Spinning Wheel / Rhymetyme. USA-Miami

Label is from Miami, so just a guess that's where these guys are from. A) side is a cover of the famous track by Blood Sweat and Tears, done funky psych. It's not overtly psych though, just a bit electrified. B) is more original and features some nice organ and guitar soloing, though again closer to the jazz school than rock. Soulful vocals.

I was going through some old notes, and this was the second time for me to hear this. Not sure of the date but probably 2020 - 2021.

3 / 3.5

1/2/25

Spaceark - Don't Stop (vocal & instrumental). 1976 USA-Los Angeles

From Los Angeles, Spaceark is a super example of funk and early disco with fine horns, sax, and organ. Strong jazz undertone. It's the same track on each side, with one featuring female vocals that makes the song that much better. This has some of the smoothest grooves you can hear. Excellent. This is the original black label. There's another pressing of these two tracks, on the same imprint, with a blue label under the name of Dolly Way & Space Ship Earth.

Own. Found at a local estate sale (2024).

8/4/24

American Soul Train - Can You Dig It / Tennessee Waltz. 1968 USA-Louisiana

A) side is horn driven funky soul with period lyrics. B) side is a slow dancer with gospel like crooning. Picks up nicely at the end with a faster beat and horns. Apparently the band name is a nom de plume for The Boogie Kings.

Used to own. Found at a local estate sale.

7/14/24

Round Trip Ticket – Super-Fli / Captain Purple Rides Again. 197? USA

No time, no place. Pure 70s fonky complete with deep narration in the Isaac Hayes tradition. "Can you dig it?" Almost exploitive really. B) side is far more interesting, with fine wah-wah and cranky organ. This one has a much better groove to it and is instrumental with wordless vocals. Seems to be the perfect funky rhythm track to any number of soundtracks of the early 70s.

4/3/24

Fried Chicken – Funky D.J. / Juke Box. 1976 USA-Louisiana

From Baton Rouge. A) is slow groove funk at its most pure and simple. Nice clavinet with declarative harmony vocals. B) adds horns while maintaining the funk. You can guess how this sounds without hearing a note.

4/3/24

Rhonghei - Long Time Gone / Assassination. 1970 USA-California

Another southern Californian group (Rosamund). Fits loosely in the psych funk soul camp. B) side features some fine fuzz. A) has a deep groove with bluesy guitar. Not bad all. 

3.5 / 3.5

2/23/24

Soul Patrol - Don't Knock the Cop / Peter Pan. 1971 USA-Fort Worth

Soul Patrol's sole 45 is a four figure expensive rarity. Musically it's right in the JB's / James Brown strike zone. Tight horns, rhythm guitar, sax, funky bass/drums, lots of "huh's" and "owws". 'Peter Pan' is instrumental and is in a similar musical vein.

1/2/24

B.W. Cat - You Can Make It Anyway / Cry. 1974 USA-Kentucky

The A) side mixes funk and horn rock seamlessly. Features a great hard driving bass heavy rhythm. Picks right back up on the b) with a stronger Hammond organ presence and a great ripping guitar solo. Excellent two sider. Label is from Kentucky so it's a guess that's where they're from.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Lemco. Online acquisition (2021).

4.0 / 4.0

5/30/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

Frank and Company – Show Me The Way / Can I Take You Home. USA

The A) side has a wonderful funk beat with fuzz guitar and organ on top. Excellent track. The B) side is a slow dance soul number with organ in the backdrop that surprisingly breaks into a power ballad, with a cool fuzz solo. Nice two sider.

Ownership: SP: 19?? A.D.Y. Online acquisition (2021)

4/19/21 (first listen); 12/11/21 (review / new entry)

Nancy Priddy - You've Come this Way Before / Ebony Glass. 1968 USA

Nancy Priddy is a new name for me, but I was very much captivated by this 45. When you see something like this pop up in front of you at the store, one immediately thinks of country, or one of those 60s female pop acts (Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Connie Stevens, etc...). If you're lucky it might be soul related. As it turns out, the music's foundation is psychedelic, but with a soul backdrop. It takes the best of both: The break beats of soul and funk combined with some of the most trippy vocals this side of Brainticket. Not suggesting they are as lysergic laced, but it has this disorienting quality that I find highly appealing. I've never heard anything quite like this, and I certainly want to hear more. The good news is Priddy did manage to release a full album, and these two tracks are the opener. Well, look at that, it appears to have been reissued on CD (OOP) and LP (in print). Originals are expensive. Maybe I'll find it in the wilds, but I think I'll grab that LP reissue in the meantime (new copies going for cheap on Amazon). Regardless, this 45 is going nowhere. Oh, in other news, Nancy Priddy is the mother of Christine Applegate. Neat.

Ownership: SP: 1968 Dot. White label promo which apparently is more common than the commercial version. In either case, it's quite the expensive rarity. Another RT collection surprise, and this one was fortunately wrapped in plastic and in perfect condition.

9/18/21

Shira - Liar / Frank's Ant Farm. 1973 USA-Philadelphia

Shira are a somewhat unknown group out of Philadelphia who released two promo 45s and then disappeared. 'Liar' is a kick ass hard rock number with a little bit of a funk edge. 'Frank's Ant Farm' is a dual guitar proggy hard rock instrumental that oddly reminds me of Automatic Fine Tuning. Excellent two sider. 

It would appear their other 45 isn't worth bothering with.

Ownership: SP: 1973 Jamie promo. Recent online acquisition. 

4/19/21 (first listen); 6/6/21 (review / new entry)

Roadwork - Come Into My Life / When it Comes to Lovin You. USA

OK, time to start digging into my new discoveries for 2021. And this one is a total unknown. The a) side is the winner here, with some flute, organ, and killer guitar solos. Kind of a mix of hard rock, funk, and prog. I'm not fond of the b) side. The style is escaping me, but it's completely different than the flip. It's crowd pleasing club music, with a saxophone lead horn section and a snappy styled pop jazz I guess. Like a proto Huey Lewis maybe? No bueno. But the a) side more than makes up for it. Thinking this is from the late 70s.

Ownership: SP: 19?? Patch. Online acquisition 

6/6/21 (first listen / review / new entry)

Bluewater - Dial "O" For Love / Wounded Knee. USA-Georgia

An interesting 45, Bluewater taps into that unique American pop sound of the late 60s and early 70s. If pressed, I'd say 1969 or 1970. The a) side has a cool funky rhythm, but is clearly slanted towards AM radio, borderline bubblegum. 'Wounded Knee' features a tribal funky wah wah backdrop, a somewhat exploitive sound of perceived Native American music. One pictures a bunch of white teenagers with headbands and war paint singing around the campfire. And drinking Coca-Cola. Which might not be far from the truth. There's no marking on this 45 anywhere, except for a one Harley Hatcher. Hatcher was a mover and shaker in the music industry, having run a couple of labels (i.e. Curb Records), and also being the primary composer for some screenplays and soundtracks. Most famously for The Wild Sounds Of Satan's Sadists, lionized later by Quentin Tarantino. This is where the Georgia reference comes from, though it's likely he was entrenched in Los Angeles by this point. Who Bluewater was is anyone's guess though. A true unknown.

Just noticed that there is a Bluewater band who performs on his 1971 soundtrack The Hard Ride. Discogs links it back to a band from 1977, but I think it's a different group. So my time frame looks pretty good here.

Ownership: SP: 19?? Double H (Harley Hatcher). Online acquisition (2020).

The labels shown here (from Discogs) look to be white, though mine is an light olive brown. Could just be the lighting, which is why I didn't add a separate entry. 

7/4/20 (first listen); 5/16/21 (review / new entry)