Primarily focusing on American Soul, R&B and Funk music presented on the glorious 45 format. I'll be posting write ups of some of my favorite records along with longer mixes.

All tracks come from vinyl that's in a box somewhere in my room.

I regularly DJ here in western mass (and nearby) with my homeboy DJ Cashman and a bunch of other great folks. If you're in the area be in touch if you're interested.

If you have any questions or corrections: gwmyers@gmail.com

Feel free to share and repost. Where possible always try to support artists and record stores!

Enjoy!

George / Snack Attack
hello! theme by cissysaurus
05
28
The Tarantulas “Vera Brown” (Stop, 196?) (Click title to download) Happy Memorial Day to you all, I hope none of you have friends or family out in harm’s way and if you do, may they return safely.  Today’s 45 is by The Tarantulas, most well known for their eponymous Atlantic single with the Black Widow flip, they were one of those great 60’s bands that everyone can lay claim to; surf-rock, R&B and rockabilly (is that everybody?). A great band who recorded in Memphis, TN, The Tarantulas (originally named The Spyders), included Bob Tucker, the writer of today’s song, who later became the stand-in for Bill Black in 1963 when he began to be to ill to tour.  Upon Black’s death in 1965 Tucker purchased Black’s studio in Memphis and continued to tour with the Bill Black Combo for the next 30 years.  (Here’s an interesting piece about Tucker finding the Ampex recorder he bought from Sam Phillips in the back of his Bus Warehouse.)  Many of the other members of The Tarantulas ended up in the Bill Black Combo (sans Black) to tour with The Beatles (at their request) in 1964. About the record, there’s another issuing of this 45 out there on the Silver-Dollar label with an address listed in Memphis with no production credits but my copy is on the Boston based Stop label (though I did find this record in New England, I’ll be damned if I’ve ever seen a record on that label in all my years digging in Boston…) and it lists “Skippy” White as the producer and he was based out of Bean town.  Despite the “production” credit, based on The Tarantulas small reach and immersion in the Memphis scene, my guess is it was released on Silver Dollar first then picked up by the (relatively) larger Stop. I can’t find anything out there on the year it was released but I’m swinging for the fences with 61? All the best, see you soon. -George / Snack Attack Edit:  It appears Stop was owned by Pete Drake, the legendary lap steel guitarist and based out of Nashville, Skippy White was a Boston producer that worked in Gospel, Blues and R&B so that fact seems to sit right, just not sure how the two meshed.  Would love to hear any ideas you all have!

The Tarantulas “Vera Brown” (Stop, 196?)

(Click title to download)

Happy Memorial Day to you all, I hope none of you have friends or family out in harm’s way and if you do, may they return safely. 

Today’s 45 is by The Tarantulas, most well known for their eponymous Atlantic single with the Black Widow flip, they were one of those great 60’s bands that everyone can lay claim to; surf-rock, R&B and rockabilly (is that everybody?).

A great band who recorded in Memphis, TN, The Tarantulas (originally named The Spyders), included Bob Tucker, the writer of today’s song, who later became the stand-in for Bill Black in 1963 when he began to be to ill to tour.  Upon Black’s death in 1965 Tucker purchased Black’s studio in Memphis and continued to tour with the Bill Black Combo for the next 30 years.  (Here’s an interesting piece about Tucker finding the Ampex recorder he bought from Sam Phillips in the back of his Bus Warehouse.)  Many of the other members of The Tarantulas ended up in the Bill Black Combo (sans Black) to tour with The Beatles (at their request) in 1964.

About the record, there’s another issuing of this 45 out there on the Silver-Dollar label with an address listed in Memphis with no production credits but my copy is on the Boston based Stop label (though I did find this record in New England, I’ll be damned if I’ve ever seen a record on that label in all my years digging in Boston…) and it lists “Skippy” White as the producer and he was based out of Bean town.  Despite the “production” credit, based on The Tarantulas small reach and immersion in the Memphis scene, my guess is it was released on Silver Dollar first then picked up by the (relatively) larger Stop.

I can’t find anything out there on the year it was released but I’m swinging for the fences with 61?

All the best, see you soon.

-George / Snack Attack

Edit:  It appears Stop was owned by Pete Drake, the legendary lap steel guitarist and based out of Nashville, Skippy White was a Boston producer that worked in Gospel, Blues and R&B so that fact seems to sit right, just not sure how the two meshed.  Would love to hear any ideas you all have!

05
15

The Mar-Keys “Last Night” (Stax/Satellite, 1961)

Eddie Purrell “The Spoiler” (Volt, 1964)

Booker T & The MG’s “Booker-Loo” (Stax, 1966)

(Click each title to download the individual track)

I regret that the purpose of today’s post is to mark the passing of one of the greats of the rhythm section in all of music, Donald “Duck” Dunn.  My ability to keep up with this modest little blog here is being tested by the falling of musical giants what feels like every week, never mind someone who I admired as much and managed to wear as many hats as Duck Dunn.

Donald “Duck” Dunn for any who don’t know was 1/4 of the heavy weight Stax attack known as Booker T and the M.G’s.  His bass playing along with Al Jackson’s drumming is some of my favorite rhythm section work in all of music; the two of them creating some of the heaviest and amazingly minimal grooves you could ever hope for in a band.

His ability to find a deep, simplified and heavy pocket began with his involvement in the early Stax group The Mar-Keys who had a hit in 1961 with “Last Night” that was solid shoulder-wiggling, hard hitting R&B at its best.  The record, originally released on the Satellite label (pictured) was a big deal for the Stax brand, giving it an early shot in the arm so big that they realized they couldn’t keep their current label name due to a conflict and were forced to come up with the Stewart/Axton combo meal we all knew to grow and love as Stax.

Dunn left the Mar-Keys in 62 but returned to the Stax fold full-time to join Booker T and the M.G’s in 1964 where he continued to create amazing music both in the style of the punchy r&b of the mar-keys and more complex, Jamerson-style melodic bass lines.  One of my favorites is while backing Otis Redding on “I Can’t Turn You Loose” from 1965, it’s a frantic run on the fret board while Otis goes to town.  (I previously posted a very early Sly and The Family Stone cover here, check it out in Singles Mixer V. 1)

Though not as prolific of a songwriter as fellow MG’s Booker T and especially Steve Cropper, Dunn also had writing credits of a few songs that weren’t released by the MG’s.  Included here today is a record I’m fond of but was by and large ignored when it was released (with the exception being that it was a regional hit in Chicago by Eddie Purrell an artist from Detroit recorded by a Memphis group and label…).  Either way, I dig “The Spoiler” and hope it helps to round of the picture of the multi-talented Duck Dunn.

Strangely, this past Saturday day I was hanging out with my step-father and the Blues Brothers movie was on.  I’ve never seen it (despite the incessant hounding of a few good friends) but was psyched to see Duck jamming while Belushi and Aykroyd went nuts.  I said “jeez, George, see the dang movie already.”  It’s sad to know that’s the only way I’ll get to see the great, immortal Donald “Duck” Dunn perform.

I hope you enjoy the tracks and highly recommend anything the man ever touched and reading Rob Bowman’s great book Soulsville USA: The Story of Stax Records for lots of great anecdotes and stories that show how full of love and joy he was for music and his fellow woman and man.

All the best,

-George / Snack Attack

09
30
O.V. Wright “Working Your Game” (Back Beat, 1968) (Click title to download) This track can be found in “Singles Mixer Vol. 1” Early Fall greetings from Western Mass.  Getting psyched up for ‘layering weather’ and pumpkins emerging from every nook and cranny and speaking of nooks and crannies, the record on tap for today is something special.  Nooks and crannies, cracks and crevices, pauses and spaces are all put to the test and none go unused with this absolutely slinky, syncopated second line stomper. Courtesy of the talents of OV Wright, a Tennessee native who cut his teeth on the gospel scene, spending time as a member- as many did with their revolving cast- of the reputable Highway QC’s and the Sunset Travelers and releasing ‘solo’ recordings - really just The Travelers with OV on lead- on Peacock.  It was from his gospel connections with the Sunset Travelers who released records on Duke (and parent company Peacock) that he was introduced to their soul subsidiary Back Beat though not without some drama.  While trying his hand at secular music Wright struck mini-gold with his single “That’s How Strong My Love Is” both as a recording of his own on Goldwax and as a cover by the estimable Otis Redding.  As the song catapulted into the limelight, Peacock took notice and let it be known Wright was still under contract to the Texas label.  So the art work on the label changed but OV’s ability to write amazing records persisted.  He produced a sizable body of work with them (and a couple records for ABC who bought out Back Beat in the mid 70s) before Moving over to Willie Mitchell’s hallowed halls of Hi Records.  All records of quality and of pretty wide breadth.  The record in question today is quite a barnstormer and a bit of a curiosity in many ways.  Wright’s greatest successes often came from slow, deep, burning tracks that fit perfectly in the matrix of gospel bred deep Tennessee soul and accordingly it spoke to the talents of Willie Mitchell who, having a long history with OV, produced many of his records .  That’s not to say Wright didn’t knock out a dance number or two (Monkey Dog and I Don’t Want To Sit Down to name a couple) but this record defies those odds.  Replete with second line syncopated drumming that sounds strikingly like New Orleans legend James Black, barrelhouse piano and a slithery guitar working non-stop in the back ground.  Feels more like an Eddie Bo production than a Willie Mitchell!  OV gets totally in the pocket trading vocal duties with his female counter parts keeping the song rolling and rocking, though not departing from his frequently visiting subject of love unfulfilled, though in this case a thinly veiled desire for something deeper than ‘huggin and kissing’ for all of his expenses paid from taking her out to the night clubs.  The biggest problem with this song is it’s a paltry 2:04 and could go on for 20 more, made even more frustrating by the fact that it gets faded out! Anyhow, the sun is setting and Friday night is knocking on my door.  Enjoy the OV Wright and stay healthy.

O.V. Wright “Working Your Game” (Back Beat, 1968)

(Click title to download)

This track can be found in “Singles Mixer Vol. 1”

Early Fall greetings from Western Mass.  Getting psyched up for ‘layering weather’ and pumpkins emerging from every nook and cranny and speaking of nooks and crannies, the record on tap for today is something special.  Nooks and crannies, cracks and crevices, pauses and spaces are all put to the test and none go unused with this absolutely slinky, syncopated second line stomper.

Courtesy of the talents of OV Wright, a Tennessee native who cut his teeth on the gospel scene, spending time as a member- as many did with their revolving cast- of the reputable Highway QC’s and the Sunset Travelers and releasing ‘solo’ recordings - really just The Travelers with OV on lead- on Peacock.  It was from his gospel connections with the Sunset Travelers who released records on Duke (and parent company Peacock) that he was introduced to their soul subsidiary Back Beat though not without some drama.  While trying his hand at secular music Wright struck mini-gold with his single “That’s How Strong My Love Is” both as a recording of his own on Goldwax and as a cover by the estimable Otis Redding.  As the song catapulted into the limelight, Peacock took notice and let it be known Wright was still under contract to the Texas label.  So the art work on the label changed but OV’s ability to write amazing records persisted.  He produced a sizable body of work with them (and a couple records for ABC who bought out Back Beat in the mid 70s) before Moving over to Willie Mitchell’s hallowed halls of Hi Records.  All records of quality and of pretty wide breadth. 

The record in question today is quite a barnstormer and a bit of a curiosity in many ways.  Wright’s greatest successes often came from slow, deep, burning tracks that fit perfectly in the matrix of gospel bred deep Tennessee soul and accordingly it spoke to the talents of Willie Mitchell who, having a long history with OV, produced many of his records .  That’s not to say Wright didn’t knock out a dance number or two (Monkey Dog and I Don’t Want To Sit Down to name a couple) but this record defies those odds.  Replete with second line syncopated drumming that sounds strikingly like New Orleans legend James Black, barrelhouse piano and a slithery guitar working non-stop in the back ground.  Feels more like an Eddie Bo production than a Willie Mitchell! 

OV gets totally in the pocket trading vocal duties with his female counter parts keeping the song rolling and rocking, though not departing from his frequently visiting subject of love unfulfilled, though in this case a thinly veiled desire for something deeper than ‘huggin and kissing’ for all of his expenses paid from taking her out to the night clubs.  The biggest problem with this song is it’s a paltry 2:04 and could go on for 20 more, made even more frustrating by the fact that it gets faded out!

Anyhow, the sun is setting and Friday night is knocking on my door.  Enjoy the OV Wright and stay healthy.