Brand new cadillac (The Clash) (LP 4256)

The Clash  London Calling (CD, Columbia Records, 1979) *****  

Genre: Punk rock, new wave

Places I remember: Fives

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: London Calling

Gear costume: Brand New Cadillac 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: Aside from a compilation (The Essential Clash), this is my only album by The Clash. It figures in a lot of Best Albums of all time lists so I guess I'd figured I needed it.

I was aware of The Clash's punk origins in 1977 thanks to my cousin in the UK. It sounded good but I wasn't tempted to buy their first two albums. Instead, I succumbed to the eclectic London Calling.

I was wary because it's a double album and by the time I bought it they'd put out a triple album! Whaat? Not very punk is it? - a double and then a triple.

I do like London Calling for its variety. In parts punk, reggae, ska, new wave, rockabilly, R&B, rock and probably a few other genres. Kudos to them - they passionately deliver in all of those types of music. It's become widely acknowledged as one of the best albums of all time, as I said, and I ain't arguing Rudie.

Where do they all belong? I'm happy with London Calling and the compilation. The Clash are an important band so every home should have something by them.

Secret corners (The Church) (LP 4253 - 4255)

The Church  Of Skins and Heart  (Vinyl, Stunn Records, 1981) ****  

The Church  The Blurred Crusade  (Vinyl, Stunn Records, 1982) *****  

The Church  Starfish (Vinyl, Mushroom Records, 1988) *****  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Tear it All Away (Of Skins and Heart), Under the Milky Way Tonight (Starfish)

Gear costume: She Never Said, The Unguarded Moment (Of Skins and Heart), Almost With You (The Blurred Crusade)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The video for The Unguarded Moment alerted me to the pop smarts of The Church - a paisley coloured dream pop band from across the ditch - Sydney to be specific. That led to me buying their debut single and then the album - Of Skins and Heart (a.k.a. The Church).

The band in these early days was Steve Kilbey (vocals, bass), guitarist Peter Koppes, drummer Nick Ward, and Marty Willson-Piper (a guitarist originally from Liverpool). Nick was quickly replaced by Richard Ploog before the debut was released - hence Richard's face on the back cover, rather than Nicks'.

The debut album as released in NZ on Stunn Records is a weird combo of American cover (as above) and Aussie title on the label. Everything about the debut appealed to me - Steve's vocals, the Byrdsian guitars, the catchy Beatlesque songs and the slightly surrealistic/ psychedelic lyrics. 

I had previously bought She Never Said (the debut single) and the E.P.s. I loved the fact that I recognised this band early on and was prepared to keep buying their stuff.

The Blurred Crusade is a superb follow up to the debut album. It marries the dream pop approach to a more psychedelic sound. Again, the songs are catchy but deeper in their appeal. This album has all the band's strengths ratcheted to the next level with both Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes' guitars to the fore.

Their fourth album Starfish is my final Church album. It was their big breakthrough album internationally, led by the Under the Milky Way single. It was a commercial and artistic breakthrough - the crisp production really suits the songs and Richard's drums are epic!

Where do they all belong? I owned Seance and Heyday but they went in a sell off (can't remember why now). I think I figured I had the best three albums by The Church.

Warm waveform (The Chills) (LP 4252)

The Chills  Silver Bullets (Vinyl, Fire Records, 2015) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, alt rock 

Places I remember: Gift from a mate - Chur Kevy

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Can't Help You

Gear costume: Pyramid/ When the Poor Can Reach the Moon

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Chills are a world famous in NZ band led by Martin Phillipps, who passed away in 2024. He was the mainstay in the band, the singer and guitarist, and its creative visionary. The rest of the band was ever changing.

Silver Bullets is their fifth studio album. It came out after a 19 year gap after their previous album (Sunburnt). It encapsulates all of The Chills/ Martin Phillipps' strengths - jangly guitars, a sunny disposition (on the surface) combined with a David Byrne style nerviness.

Pitchfork sums the album up well - "guitars wreathed in reverb, organs heaving, Phillipps' voice, as quietly assured as ever. Combining delicate grace with ornate detailing is no easy feat, but on Silver Bullets, Phillipps manages it again and again."

Where do they all belong? This is my only album by The Chills, but it won't be the last.

Hucklebuck (The Chicks) (LP 4248 - 4251)

The Chicks  The Sound of The Chicks (Vinyl, Viking Records, 1965) ****  

The Chicks  The Chick's 2nd Album (Vinyl, Viking Records, 1966) ***  

The Chicks  C'mon Chicks (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1968) ****  

The Chicks  The Best of The Chicks (Vinyl, Music for Leisure Records, 1970) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Vinyl Countdown, Viking Haul

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Tobacco Road (The Sound of The Chicks)

Gear costume: Friends (C'mon Chicks)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Chicks (sisters Judy and Sue Donaldson) are one on my earliest musical memories. There they are on my TV on C'mon - THE NZ music show of the sixties. Go Go boots, big hair, very short skirts, one blonde, one brunette and somehow both beaming in from a distant planet. In reality they were 20 minutes across town.

The Sound of The Chicks is their debut album. It's 1965 and The Beatles songs are a strong presence - followed by everything British. So, there are three Beatle covers (done well as it happens) and a lot of energy/enthusiasm for what is presented to The Chicks to sing on the other nine tracks. 

 

Throughout the album, it's a remarkably assured performance from both Chicks (Sue as lead vocalist was 14) that still sounds fun in 2026. Try having a listen to The Hucklebuck and marvel at their youthful joy which beams out of the speakers still.

The Chick's 2nd Album followed the debut quickly. In those days even The Beatles thought they'd only have a couple of years before the bubble burst, so Viking got cracking with a second album. It does sound a bit hurried and not as fresh as The Sound of The Chicks. 

No Beatle covers this time but songs that inspired the Fabs like Motown hits, Be Bop A Lula and Roll Over Beethoven get a run. The Donaldson's had no control over the songs chosen for them, so some work better than others. The highlights is a ripper version of Heat Wave.

Their C'mon Chicks album in 1968 aims to update the sound for the times. Ray Columbus writes the liner notes and indicates how 'there's something for everyone' from folk to ballads to 'wild soul'. The urge to see them become overall entertainers means we end up with the dire Show Me as well as the good stuff.

It's the soul genre which suits them most in my opinion and provide most of the highlights - If You Think You're Groovy, Some Things You Never Get Used To and Think. Their versions of The Beach Boys' Do It Again and Friends are also terrific.

There are quite a few compilations in their discography. I only have the one - The Best of The Chicks. It has a cross section of their talents, mainly ballads, but strangely all the selections come from their last two albums (C'mon Chicks and A Long Time Comin').

Where do they all belong? Still searching for a copy of their 1970 album - A Long Time Comin'. Suzanne's career has been covered here.

Are you ready (The Chambers Brothers) (LP 4245 - 4247)

The Chambers Brothers   New Generation (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1971) ****   

The Chambers Brothers   The Chambers Brothers' Greatest Hits (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1971) ****  

The Chambers Brothers  Unbonded (Vinyl, Avco Records, 1974) ****  

Genre: Soul, Psychedelic soul 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Are You Ready (New Generation)

Gear costume: Time Has Come Today (Greatest Hits)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: I fell for The Chambers Brothers when I spied the cover to New Generation while working at Marbecks Records. A new shipment of American imports had arrived and needed shelving. New Generation stood out and so did Are You Ready? when I played it.

It comes across like a soul band wanting to be The Allman Brothers Band. I was sold! Funky, soulful, rocking - that's The Chambers Brothers.

The band had a history that I was initially unaware of which is why I've included a compilation - The Chambers Brothers' Greatest Hits.

The four Chambers brothers - George (bass), Joe (guitar), Lester (harp), Willie (guitar) were joined in the band by pakeha drummer Brian Keenan. The Greatest Hits album includes their first 'hit' - an edited version of the eleven-minute version of Time Has Come Today - an extraordinary song from 1968 which is on Greatest Hits in its full form.

Unbonded is an excellent covers album, with some surprising pop/rock selections like The Weight, Good Vibrations, and Do You Believe In Magic? adding to the R&B/ soul covers.

Where do they all belong? Always keen to add to my Chambers Brothers collection.

Let's go trippin' (The Challengers) (LP 4244)

The Challengers  Surfbeat (Vinyl, Vault Records, 1963) ****  

Genre: Surf rock

Places I remember: Santa Monica Record Shop

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Bulldog

Gear costume: Red River Rock, Mr. Moto

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: This album, and The Challengers were a big deal in 1963. The surf music craze was in its beginning stages and Surfbeat met a need.

It's mostly instrumental rock, the kind that The Beatles and The Beach Boys (ironically) would quickly kill off, but for a time it was the happening thing!

The Challengers saw the potential in Dick Dale & His Del-Tones and The Beach Boys and rode that wave. This album is historically important and it's also one that holds up well in 2026.  

Where do they all belong? A foundation album in surf rock. Happy to find this mint copy while visiting Los Angeles a few years ago.

So you want to be a rock'n'roll star (The Byrds) (LP 4239 - 4243)

The Byrds  Live in Rome 1968 (Vinyl, 1960's Records Limited,?) *  

The Byrds  Straight for the Sun 1971 College Radio Broadcast (Vinyl, Let Them Eat Vinyl, 2013) ***  

The Byrds  The 1978 Reunion Concert (Vinyl, Let Them Eat Vinyl, 2018) ***  

The Byrds  The Byrds Live (CD, Immortal, 2010) *** 

The Byrds  History of The Byrds (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1973) ***** 

Genre: Folk rocky, country rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hey Mr. Tambourine Man (The Byrds Live)

Gear costume: He Was a Friend of Mine (The Byrds Live)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Byrds is not a band that is well served by live albums. Beware the Live at Rome 1968 album - the sound is sourced from a radio performance and it's below par. To the extent that it detracts from the full enjoyment of the Sweethearts of the Rodeo band. Gram Parsons is there so I guess there is a lot of historical value but this is one for hard-core collectors.

Better is the 1971 set which is spread over a double album - Straight for The Sun. It's the same band as (Untitled) so this is a nice adjunct to that album's concert album.

Better yet is the 1978 Reunion concert, another radio broadcast. During 1977 and 78 they performed in various combinations. This one, at The Boarding House in San Francisco on February 9, 1978 has four of The Byrds in attendance (no Michael Clarke). The band is introduced one member at a time to do a couple of songs. First Chris Hillman, then Roger McGuinn, then Gene Clark, then David Crosby. 

The largely acoustic format suits them as you can hear the harmonies and the songs shine in this setting. Highlights are Mr. Tambourine Man, You Ain't Going Nowhere.

The Byrds Live is a compilation of songs in various live settings from 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1990 (with Bob Dylan). The two Dylan tracks are the pick of the bunch (as in the fab/gear sections above).

I only have the one compilation - History of The Byrds takes a chronological approach so you trace their developing style in the context of their history from 1965 to 1971.

All of the big hits are present and correct, plus there's the first appearance on an album of the non-album single Lady Friend and the 1965 B-side She Don't Care About Time. The double album has a terrific gatefold with Pete Frame's Family Tree for the band. Great to have that on its own.

Where do they all belong? That's it for this seminal American band.