R.I.P. bassist Herbie Flowers, 1938-2024

Sadly, British bassist Herbie Flowers – who played on hundreds of recordings – has passed away at 86. He'll be greatlly missed. 

Happy Birthday James Carr!

Remembering deep soul great James Carr on his birthday with a couple of rare performance clips and some stellar single sides. 

Sharon Tandy's sought-after "Hold On" single gets recirculated

Sharon Tandy's version of "Hold On" backed by the Fleur de Lys comes coupled with the psych gem "Daughter Of The Sun"

Here's the scoop...

In 1967, Sharon Tandy covered the Rupert’s People song ‘Hold On’, very soon after its recording. It was on the suggestion of her brilliant backing band the Fleur De Lys, who had been recruited to play on and develop two songs for Rupert’s People, written by group leader Rod Lynton. The composition was developed by the band and the Fleurs’ bassist Gordon Haskell earned a writer credit, though he remembers their guitarist Bryn Haworth was the key contributor to the co-operative effort. Tandy’s own version with the band was tougher and accidentally re-written in parts, as the group couldn’t fully remember the song in the studio. It was only originally used as a B side to Sharon’s cover of Lorraine Ellison’s ‘Stay With Me Baby’ – Rupert’s People’s version had been similarly demoted to the flip of its coupling. The single was also released in the USA, France, Germany and Italy.

UK Atlantic must have realised they’d missed a trick with this track and reissued it the following year with a fabulous new B side ‘Daughter Of The Sun’ penned by Brian Potter and Graham Dee. Maybe that psychedelic opus would have been better as the plug side as the pairing failed to sell, but it created one of the most sought-after UK female 45s whose legend has continued to grow.

Get a copy of the Big Beat label reissue of Sharon Tandy's freakbeat double-sider right here. Check out Sharon's 1967 performance of "Hold On" followed by a fan-made clip for "Daughter Of The Sun" cleverly repurposing clips from Anna Biller's critically-acclaimed 2016 horror throwback Love Witch. Seems like "Daughter of The Sun" would've been a nice fit for the film's soundtrack.  

Definitive collection of UK freakbeat faves Fleur de Lys out Friday

The 25-track ultimate Fleur de Lys compilation contains all the singles they released on Immediate, Polydor and Atlantic. 

Here's the scoop...

Atlantic Records, Andrew Loog Oldham, Shel Talmy, Cream, Isaac Hayes and er... Tony Blackburn, all these and so many more turn up in the story of Southampton band the Fleur De Lys and so many more. You may not have heard of them, and if you have it may be just because of their glorious cover of The Who’s "Circles" – an ultimate freakbeat anthem which this compilation is named after – but the singles they released in the second half of the 1960s are one of the greatest collections of singles by any band, ranging from R&B through freakbeat and psych and back into club soul. 

Emerging from the English South Coast’s competitive club scene they signed to Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham’s pioneering indie label Immediate where they recorded two singles before being taken under the wing of Frank Fenter who worked out of the UK Polydor office running the UK arm of Atlantic. The group went through numerous line-up changes as they recorded a series of singles which are now some of the most collectible of the era. 

Acid Jazz and Countdown Records have been the custodians of the Fleur De Lys catalogue for the last decade and this compilation is the culmination of that work containing all the singles that they released for Immediate, Polydor and Atlantic (where they edged Led Zeppelin to become the first UK signed band to that legendary label). Issued digitally, on CD and in a limited edition gatefold coloured double vinyl, it has been produced with the full co-operation of the group’s Keith Guster, allowing us to use previously unseen photos and illustrations. Compiled by Eddie Piller and Dean Rudland along with the band’s official biographer Paul ‘Smiler’ Anderson, who has contributed an extended note that tells the band’s story in compelling detail. Available March 26. 

Get a copy of the Fleur de Lys' Circles 2LP via Bandcamp right here. Listen to "Circles," "Mud In Your Eye" and "Hold On" below. 

Bob Mould Band, Drew Thomson Foundation @ The Phoenix, Monday

Bob Mould's latest album Sunshine Rock is out now. Watch Bob discuss how it came together and whatever happened to Hüsker Dü below.  

Bob Mould Band on tour
Feb 18 Toronto, ON – The Phoenix
Feb 19 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls
Feb 21 New York, NY – Brooklyn Steel*
Feb 22 Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 23 Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 25 Ft. Collins, CO – Washington’s
Feb 26 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Mar 01 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
Mar 02 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Mar 08 Hamburg, Germany – Gruenspan
Mar 09 Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theater
Mar 11 Düsseldorf, Germany – Zakk
Mar 12 Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot
Mar 14 London, UK – Electric Ballroom
Mar 15 Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
Mar 16 Edinburg, UK – The Liquid Rooms
Mar 17 Manchester, UK – Academy 2 Manchester
Mar 30 Minneapolis, MN – The Palace
Mar 31 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
Apr 02 Dallas, TX – Granada
Apr 03 Austin, TX – Mohawk
Apr 05 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Apr 06 Seattle, WA – Neumos
Apr 07 Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Stop
* w/ Titus Andronicus

Bob Mould Band @ The Horseshoe, Tuesday & Wednesday

Bob Mould presents Patch The Sky along with some other pleasant tunes in a two-night Horseshoe stand.

"Here’s the deal. In 2012, people loved Silver Age (to a degree that surprised me, pleasantly), likewise Beauty & Ruin in 2014 (despite the heaviness of the subject matter, which I thought might be a bit alienating… apparently not. Another pleasant surprise).

"But Patch The Sky is the darkest one.

"After the Letterman performance in February 2015 where “dust fell from the rafters,” it would have seemed logical to go the punk rock route—an entire album of two-minute songs—but that wasn’t where my soul was at.

"I withdrew from everyday life. I wrote alone for six months. I love people, but I needed my solitude. The search for my own truth kept me alive. These songs are my salvation.

"I’ve had a solid stretch of hard emotional times, and thanks for the condolences in advance. I don’t want to go into the details—more death, relationships ending, life getting shorter—because they’re already in the songs. Just listen and see if you can fit yourself into my stories. The words make you remember. The music makes you forget.

"But Patch The Sky is also the catchiest one.

"I always aim for the perfect balance of bright melodies and dark stories. I’ve used this juxtaposition for years. This time, I’ve tuned it to high contrast.

"The first side of the album is generally simple and catchy. The second side is heavier in spirit and tone. Opposing forces and properties. I love both sides of Patch The Sky.

"At the core of these songs is what I call the chemical chorus—you hear it once and your brain starts tingling. The heart rate picks up. It gets worse—you know it’s coming again and you can barely stand the anticipation. Then, the beautifully heartbreaking bridge appears, and you’re all set up—hooked for life. Music is an incredibly powerful drug. I want to be your drug dealer. I have what you need."

— Bob Mould