This week’s Mystery Date was submitted by Townswoman ladymisskiroyale.
Let’s review the ground rules here. The Mystery Date song is not necessarily something I believe to be good. So feel free to rip it or praise it. Rather the song is something of interest due to the artist, influences, time period… Your job is to decipher as much as you can about the artist without research. Who do you think it is? Or, Who do you think it sounds like? When do you think it was recorded? Etc…
If you know who it is, don’t spoil it for the rest. Anyone who knows it can play the “mockcarr option.” (And I’ve got a hunch at least one of you know this one.) This option is for those of you who just can’t hold your tongue and must let everyone know just how in-the-know you are by calling it. So if you know who it is and want everyone else to know that you know, email Mr. Moderator at mrmoderator [at] rocktownhall [dot] com. If correct we will post how brilliant you are in the Comments section.
The real test of strength though is to guess as close as possible without knowing. Ready, steady, go!
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mystery-Date-090211.mp3|titles=Mystery Date 090211]
I’ve only got my laptop,so the sound is pretty awful, but the singer sounds like Johnny Cash and Tiny Tim’s son.
This sure sounds like a legit 60s recording and not a Billy Childish-style re-creation. Even though it’s pretty crude and the vocals are wobbly in an uncommercial way, I’m guessing this is a major label release, but probably a single rather than an album track. Is it from one of the Pebbles (or similar) comps?
I also think it’s a legit 60’s recording. I’m guessing 1966, west coast, US.
TREMENDOUS description! {Standing ovation.]
It is an album track (not a Pebbles-type release) and was not a major-label release, but your remaining impressions are accurate.
You’re not too far off on the recording date, but your location is further offer. It is not, however, a Dutch artist.
man, I blew that one… I actually think I may have heard this one before, but I certainly can’t pinpoint it. I’m guessing that it’s later than cdm’s guess, by the way.
Mod, not to trespass on the sanctity of this discussion, but I sent you an email a few days ago with a Mystery Date suggestion–didja get it? I’m not antsy, just want to make sure you received it.
Okay, March of ’67 and from the outskirts of Brussels, and that’s my final offer.
Texas?
Yes, you did, misterioso. Thanks. I’ve been backlogged. ladymiss submitted this one a few days before I received your. I’ll make sure to run your contribution next. My apologies to anyone else who’s submitted stuff that has not yet run. I greatly appreciate it!
No, it’s not one of those wacky Texas psych bands, but I could see why you might think that.
Who is the german Phil Ochs?
That’s quite the flubbed note for the bass player at 1:37. I don’t think I’ll be visiting Jasontown any time soon.
I’m very interested in your comments. This Mystery Date comes off of an album I gave my husband for his birthday. We both have been loving the music, but the vocals are, well, something to get used to. Your descriptions of his vocals are very apt!
This was originally released in the late 60’s but then rereleased by another label in the last 10 years.
Is there any connection with Shocking Blue ?
All will be revealed on SNSI.
Not to my knowledge. But I originally sent this to Mr. Mod with the hopes that through Mystery Date, I would learn more about the mysterious Johnny Cash/Tiny Tim/Phil Ochs.
So based on LadyM’s comments, I guess it was a Rhino re-issue. Wild Man Fisher? I’ve never heard him, but whoever this is, he could be a bit of a lunatic. btw, he reminds me of the vocalist with Gun Club, can’t think of the name.
I found so little on this artist. I will reveal on tonight’s Shut-In. Hopefully others will fill in details. The artist/band is American.
I too have never heard him, not even after this date. This is what I could imagine him sounding like. Welcome aboard!
I think Wild Man Fischer may be a better singer!
Not a Rhino re-issue. Actually, a major indie re-issue, which is one reason why I purchased the album in the first place. That, and a great review from the record store staff.
Was it actually a reissue? What I read made it seen like it languished unreleased for 40 years. I have actually been wondering if it’s a fraudulent “lost treasure.”
In the liner notes, it says that it was first supposed to be released by a Minnesota label, Candy Floss and then through Sire. But when the deals fell through, he sat on the tapes for 30 years until a Dove Studio records compilation was released and some tracks were included. De Stijl released a single and then SubPop picked it up in 2002.
Apparently the guy also made his guitars (or tinkered with them to create sonic effects): putting a Boss Tone inside his Telecaster, a distortion box he called a Fuzz n’Bark, a “custom made plate-style reverb unit” and flashing lights installed inside his guitar. He also made and used a theremin.
My favorite lines from these liner notes, written by Karl Ikola: “Happenstance provided some blessed unhinging of Yonker’s musical voice, as toward the tail end of the Michael and the Mumblers era, his guitar fell off it’s stand while performing, jarring it into an open tuning he incorporated into that evening’s live set. Utilizing this new paradigm, Yonkers honed the sounds into a structured set of off-key tonalities that spread to his vocal style, in a sense falling on his head and standing up speaking a different language.”
Sounding more like he came from a different planet, perhaps.
Boy am I feeling stupid now. I have this reissue and have heard this song at least five or six times…