Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: The Belvederes Meet Terry And The Pirates
 | These are acetate demos and live tracks from two really obscure bands. While they are a long way from polished, there is something magical about these glimpse into a couple of teenage garages and rec halls. Not essential at all, but historically engaging in a rural kind of way. |
Picks: The Belvederes - I Almost Lost My Mind, Torture, Rumble Rock, Terry and the Pirates - Tune Up - Ramrod, Perfidia, Alabama Jubilee, Wipe Out / Rockinental, Ramrod, Wipe Out / Rockinental, Night Train
Track by Track Review
The Belvederes - Thunder Wagon Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
Primitive riff rock with all the minimalist credentials of rural rock'n'roll of the late fifties. The nondescript nature of the song is countered by the innocent energy. You won't miss not hearing it, but it sure is a typical small town cut from its period.
The Belvederes - Subway Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
"Subway" is goes nowhere instro. The sax squonks an unchanging line against a repetitious backtrack. Only the break is a variant, and it's just as repetitious in its own right. Just amateur.
The Belvederes - I Almost Lost My Mind Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is soulful in a backwoods kinda way. raspy sax and primitive sound make it endearing in a slice of history kind of way. From the title, you'd expect a vocal. You'd be half right. It's a grode cover of Ivory Joe Hunter's 1950 hit, which was recorded in late 1949.
Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
The Fendermen's "Torture" is slaughtered by The Belvederes as they get the progression wrong and play in a sometimes stilted fashion. If you didn't know the song, you'd likely think it was just waiting to be discovered for cover material. The primitive grodiness is actually an endearing feature of the track.
The Belvederes - Rumble Rock Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is a primitive, low key rendering of Link Wray and his Raymen's menacing "Rumble," but as the second verse begins, the pace doubles and a nasty sax takes over, hence the "rock" in the title. While an interesting concept, it sure loses Link's snarl and threatening edge. That aside, it's a pretty cool and primitive rocker that's worth a spin or two.
Terry and the Pirates - Drum-A-Rama Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This very brief track uses a basic rock riff for all of one verse before the drums go nuts. It's from an aborted take, but the drummer just doesn't quit.
Terry and the Pirates - Untitled Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This untitled track is the song that "Drum-A-Rama" started as. The circular riff is stereotypical of American small label b-sides. The drums are well played and perhaps its most interesting feature.
Terry and the Pirates - Honky Tonk Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is a really slow and laid back rendering of Bill Dogget's "Honky Tonk." Played pretty softly, it has all the earmarks of late night jammin' in the local roadhouse.
Terry and the Pirates - Tune Up Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is essentially a warm up track. The crowd is being all teenage screams and talking, and the band is taking their time getting going. "Tune Up" is a chord jammer to find their chops. It's just a couple of verses with a frantic drum end.
Terry and the Pirates - Tune Up - Ramrod Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This medley of a couple of verses of "Tune Up" transitions suddenly into a rousing performance of Al Casey's "Ramrod." Once they rock out, you realize that all the low key tracks are due to a lack of audience pressure and inspiration. Rippin' fun!
Terry and the Pirates - Perfidia Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is an interesting and raucous cover of The Ventures' "Perfidia" with a rhythm track more like a rocked up "Twenty Six Miles (Across The Sea)" at times. Lots of attack on the axes and great drums. This is the real deal, folks, small town teenage garage rock'n'roll circa 1963.
Terry and the Pirates - Alabama Jubilee Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
Totally hickoid fun and lots of guitar mistakes make "Alabama Jubilee" charming. This is the sort of thing that emanated from many a car port and garage back in the day. Too fun!
Terry and the Pirates - Wipe Out / Rockinental Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
One of the stiffest and rawest takes of The Surfaris' "Wipe Out" ever, to the point of near unrecognizability. The manic drums and complete abandon of the band are really quite infectious. It's the "Rockinental" melody part of it that make it so unsurf?
Terry and the Pirates - Trumpet-A-Rama Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
Cozy Cole frenzied drums make this otherwise high school marching band horn number interesting. The song is ho-hum, and would be totally dismissible if not for the drums.
Terry and the Pirates - Make Love To Me Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
The horn (clarinet maybe) carries the melody over the simple blues progression. I think this is the Jo Stafford hit. Kinda sleazy in a high school band room kinda way.
Terry and the Pirates - Ramrod Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This take of Al Casey's song is raucous, though restrained when compared to the live take. The piano is barely audible, but is a large part of the charm. Spunky and primitive.
Terry and the Pirates - Wipe Out / Rockinental Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
Cleaner and more understandable than the live take, "Wipe Out / Rockinental" is nonetheless just as mysteriously not surf. "Rockinental" is a rough number based on a circular jammin' riff with bumpin' drums. The "Wipe Out" drum breaks are very cool.
Terry and the Pirates - Night Train Rock Instrumental (Instrumental)
This is a slow and low brow version of Jimmy Forest's "Night Train," so much so that it's very unlike the probably inspiration by James Brown. Great drums and innocent exuberance.