Namesakes #184: The Times

Boo, Rupert Murdoch, right wing rag, etc. etc. 

But unlike the paper, I'm not here to tell you how to think... you can make your own mind up which band called The Times is best.

Have you got The Times for all these? Let's see...

THE TIMES #1

We start this week in Australia, with a three piece beat band on Perth label Clarion Records in 1965.

The Times - Glad Not Sad

THE TIMES #2

The Warrington Times, from 1966, featuring Alan Taylor, Gordon Struthers, Kenneth Crank and Malcolm Unsworth. Proper rock star names, all of them. This was their second, and presumably last, single. Where did all the good Times go?

The Times - (She Can't Replace) The Love We Knew

THE TIMES #3

Dennis Burlage and his two brothers (plus a couple of mates) came from Norfolk, Virginia in 1967 and produced this "psychedelic masterpiece" / ripped off The Byrds.

Dennis & The Times - Flight Patterns

THE TIMES #4

Irish "show band" (not sure what a show band is - presumably a band that plays shows... but don't they all?) from the late 60s and early 70s.

The Times - Looking Through The Eyes Of A Beautiful Girl

 

THE TIMES #5

I first became aware of Edward Philip Albert Tome Ball when he released the solo track The Mill Hill Self Hate Club, a Brit pop favourite from the glorious year of 1996. It was only later that I realised Ed Ball had been at this pop music lark for quite a while, starting in 1977 when he was a member of Television Personalities. As the 80s arrived, he formed his own band called The Times, featuring a rotating membership of musicians from the Wham! Records label (run by Ed and his mate Dan Treacy). The Times continued to release records on and off for the next 20 years. This tribute to The Prisoner is probably their most fondly-remembered tune...

The Times - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

THE TIMES #6

Also known as The U.S. Times, this Louisiana "dance band" were a'changing with the times in the early 80s.

The Times - Hip Isn't It

TIMES #7

Post-punk electronic band Venus In Furs hailed from Sussex in the early 80s. They started out as a four piece, then came back as a two piece, before eventually becoming a one man solo project. The man behind all these ventures occasionally called himself Jeremy Christ, but most of the time he went simply by the name: Times.

Venus In Furs - Memento Mori

TIMES #8

Good times from Cleveland, Ohio in 1982. 

Times - Tuesday The 12th

THE TIMES #9

Knock Three Times! More power pop from 1982 - this time via Nashville.

The Times - I Didn't Know

THE TIMES #10

South African soul group, and part-time jeans models: a sign of the times from 1990.

The Times - Lonely Man

THE TIMES #11

And finally today, this Malaysian indie rock band were practising their Times tables in the noughties.

The Times - Spektakular

Eleven Times to choose from... but do you agree that Even The Bad Times Are Good?

Namesakes #183: The Wrecking Crew

Are you ready to get absolutely WRECKED?

These guys can help...

THE WRECKING CREW #1

We start in 1964 Baltimore this week… and by the end of the page, you’ll all be screaming this song title out loud.

The Wrecking Crew – End My Misery

 

THE WRECKING CREW #2

The word “legendary” gets bandied about far too much in the world of popular music, but the LA session musicians who made up The Wrecking Crew surely deserve it for their contributions to some of the biggest hits of the 60s. As well as being Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound band, they were also responsible for the first two Monkees albums, many of Jimmy Webb’s biggest hits, and the music on Pet Sounds. You could easily put together a box set of songs that the Wrecking Crew contributed to, and it’d sound like the Greatest Hits of the 20^th Century, give or take a few. Counting among their number Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Hal Blaine and Carole Kaye, these guys were some of the most accomplished performers of their generation – and they made every song they played on sound like a million dollars. Even this one…

Richard Harris – MacArthur Park (featuring The Wrecking Crew)

Iffypedia suggests that MacArthur Park effectively spelled the beginning of the end for The Wrecking Crew, since its success meant that radio stations started playing much longer records… so less singles became hits. Additionally, “rock groups in the early to mid 1970s began to stipulate in their recording contracts that they be allowed to play their own instruments on records”… I mean, how dare they?

Is it fair to pit any of today’s other bands up against this roster? I mean, were they even a band in the traditional sense? (Many of them did go on tour in support of David Cassidy.) And Carole Kaye suggests they were never even known as The Wrecking Crew at the time – that the name was invented by drummer Hal Blaine in his memoirs many years later.

As always, you will be the judges.

(Interestingly, discogs also lists another Wrecking Crew from the late 90s / early 00s – who appear to be a similar ensemble of session musicians responsible for the string section on songs by Gabrielle, Billie Piper, Beth Orton, Ed Harcourt and others… but I can’t find out any more information about them, or why & how they had the nerve to choose the name they did.)

 

THE WRECKING CREW #3

A soulful Wrecking Crew from 1974 next, doing the Stax sound very well.

The Wrecking Crew - Bump And Boogie (Pt. 1)

 

THE WRECKIN' CREW #4

A very 80s WC next, emerging from Chicago in the late 70s and sounding quite Prince-like on this, their debut single.

The Wreckin’ Crew – Found The Groove

 

THE WRECKING CREW #5

A 1986 tribute record to the New Orleans Saints… a football team, I presume, nothing to do with Joan of Arc.

The Wrecking Crew – We’re The Saints

 

THE WRECKING CREW #6

Also in 1986, we find this synth-pop Wrecking Crew making tiny waves in the UK. This was the B-side – good luck finding the A-side anywhere.

The Wrecking Crew – Passion Play

 

WRECKING CREW #7

This hardcore punk band from Boston in the late 80s appear at the top of the search list on discogs… so they must have something going for them.

Wrecking Crew – Judgement

 

THE WRECKING CREW #8

Aussie hair metal Wreckers from 1992…

The Wrecking Crew – Stay

 

THE WRECKING CREW #9

Ready for a damn good thrashing? Virginia-based thrash metal act, saying hello in 2000.

The Wrecking Crew – Hello World

 

THE WRECKING CREW #10

Dutch metalheads from 2002… singing about an evil beast on the streets of London in 1666. 

The Wrecking Crew – The Beast

 

THE WRECKING CREW #11

Canadian Wrecking Crew from 2002 who clearly need someone to explain the adjective “Original” to them.

The Original Wrecking Crew - Grassy Gross Groovin' Sound

 

THE WRECKING CREW #12

Hip hop Wrecking Crew from about ten years ago.

The Wrecking Crew – Tell Me What You Want

 

WRECKING CREW #13

Philly-based rap collective with some old skool vibes, also active during the last decade.

Wrecking Crew – Wrecking Crew Theme

 

THE WRECKING CREW #14

And now, a Japanese metal band from 2017…

The Wrecking Crew – Hard ‘n’ Heavy

 

WRECKINGCREW #15

Still in Japan, we close today with a J-Pop Wrecking Crew – or WRECKingCreW, because their typewriter has shift problems.

WRECKingCreW -『哀歌』

 

Which ones would you like to swing a wrecking ball at?

Namesakes #182: April March

Today is the final day of March, tomorrow the first of April. To celebrate, here are a small number of artists (still - quite amazing that there's more than one) with both April and March in their name...

APRIL MARCH #1

Not a musician, but it would be remiss of me not to include the original April March, "The First Lady of Burlesque", a headline act across the world from 1952 till her retirement in '78 (she gave up because the stripping business had become "too blatant and sexual"). Born Velma Fern Worden, she was married eight times (and briefly engaged to Mel Torme), almost became a pro golfer, and made a comeback in 2006, aged 71. She died last year.

If none of the others take your fancy this week, I'm sure Velma will appreciate your vote.

AN APRIL MARCH #2

Next up, a Canadian shoegaze / dream pop band, active between '89 and '99, originally called The Whittingtons. Compared to  many of this week's acts, they at least play proper music... I just can't find much more info about them without doing a deep dive, and I already spent far too much time this week looking for a video of #1 performing in her heyday. (I'll save you the trouble - none seem to exist.)

An April March - Scarlett Bliss

APRIL MARCH #3

New Yorker Elinor Lanman Blake is a  writer, illustrator and animator who has worked on The Ren & Stimpy Show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse and the Madonna movie Who's That Girl. She also did the illustrations for a children's book written by Jack White named after his song We're Going To Be Friends.

As a musician, she goes by the name April March, first in her band the Pussywillows, and then as a solo artist. As a self-confessed Francophile, she's rather partial to a bit of Serge, and she's probably most well known for her cover of Gainsbourg's Chick Habit which featured in the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's movie Death Proof.

April March - Chick Habit

APRIL MAY MARCH #4

See what they did there? I mean, really, if it was a busier week, I wouldn't include this at all. And also, it's filed under "experimental" on the camp of bands, and that's never a recommendation.

April May March - The Badger

Trust me though, it might not be the most bizarre thing you hear this week. Because...

APRIL MARCH #5

Because... this week's WTF offering was dropped onto the camp of bands in 2020. It's a recording of some woman sitting in her car eating a granola bar, while talking to you in a breathy whisper. If that's the sort of thing that gets you engine revving, you can buy it for the low price of one American dollar. Others might prefer to go back to #1 for their titillation.

I'm hoping April's got a real job in the last six years and this isn't her only source of income.

April March - My Boyfriend

 

Have we got time for a bonus track, just to make up the numbers?

MARCH ONTO APRIL

Stretching the rules to breaking point, but at least it means we get to close today with a proper tune. This Florida-based band from the last decade "blend many different moods and tones of emo, Alternative, and pop punk." Nothing experimental, no granola bars, and they keep their clothes on the whole time.

March Onto April - Postcards From Greece

Which one makes you want to March into April... and which are just March-April Fools?

Namesakes #181: The Secrets

Shhh!

I've got a Secret for you this week.

Well, lots of Secrets, actually.

Don't tell anyone...

THE SECRETS #1

Let's kick off in 1960 with the wonderfully monikered Hollis Champion and his Secrets. A little after this recording, Hollis would move to Nashville and change his name to Elmer Fudpucker where he would enjoy a long career making comedy records. I prefer his original name.

Hollis Champion & The Secrets - Ol' Red Devil

THE SECRETS #2

Next up, let's have some twangy surf rock from 1962, shall we? I don't know what the big deal is about having a twin exhaust - me, I want my car to make less noise, not more!

The Secrets - Twin Exhaust

THE SECRETS #3

In early 1963, members of Philadelphia band The Fabulous Four joined singer Carlo Gerace for an equestrian jamboree...

Carlo & The Secrets - Pont Party

THE SECRETS #4

A Cleveland, Ohio, girl group who made the US Top 20 in 1963 with a song about falling for the boy next door... even though he's a bit of a git, by all accounts. I'd keep well away, if I were you, ladies.

The Secrets - The Boy Next Door

THE SECRETS #5

Still in '63, Colleen Kaye has a shameful secret - what did she do with Joey's diamond ring?

Colleen Kaye & The Secrets - Joey's Diamond Ring

THE SECRETS #6

From Kidderminster in the mid-60s came our next set of Secrets - also billed as Martin Raynor And The Secrets and later Simon's Secrets... though it appears most of their songs were written by soon-to-be-solo-star Clifford T. Ward. Although he became known for more heartfelt ballads in the 70s, it turns out Ward had a cheeky sense of humour in his younger days, as demonstrated on lyrics like this one...

The Secrets - I Think I Need the Cash

THE SECRETS #7

Canadian Secrets from 1966, led by one Douglas Rankine. He got top billing on the tune below, but after that kept his name a Secret. This one, a novelty song about a hockey player, made it to number one on CHUM Radio in Toronto for two weeks. Pedigree!

The Secrets - Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack

THE SECRETS #8

Milwaukee garage band from '66...

The Secrets - I Know It's You

THE SECRETS #9

A couple of years back (how time flies!), George treated us to a Strangers Namesakes. Number #14 on his list were a group of New Zealand Strangers, featuring future Uriah Heep bassist, Gary Thain. When Gary left The Strangers, he moved to Australia and became part of The Secrets. After that, he joined The New Nadir, who were very popular in Switzerland. Then he played at Woodstock with the Keef Hartley Band. Then he joined the Heep. Don't tell me I don't do the research if it's there to be done. 

The Secrets - You're Wrong

THE SECRETS #10

Also in 1966, these Secrets (also known as the Wooden Nickels) were recording in LA, and featured Brenda Holloway and her sister Patrice on vocals. Brenda was also signed to Motown at the time, so there's some debate online about whether she sang this in... erm... Secret... to keep Berry Gordy in the dark. The tune was later resurrected by the Wigan Casino DJs.

The Secrets - I Feel A Thrill Coming On

THE SECRETS #11

Swedish Secrets from '66 - can we say sibilance? This was the B-side to their cover of one of my least favourite Beatles songs.

The Secrets - If You Hear Me Knockin' 

THE SECRETS #12

1966 was a big year for Secrets. Here's some from Baton Rouge, fronted by Lee Tillman. Another tune that was later revived by the Northern Soul scene.

Lee Tillman & The Secrets - She's The One I Love

THE SECRETS #13

Dutch pop group who started in the late 60s singing background vocals and TV soundtracks before graduating to the "big" time...

The Secrets - Suzanne Suzanne

THE SECRETS #14

German Secrets from sometime in the 60s. They had some Kinks records in their collection.

The Secrets - Unfold Her Longing Heart

THE SECRETS #15

Psychedelic Secrets from the Netherlands in 1969. Impressively, for the time, they even shot their own video.

The Secrets - Poor Strong Night

THE SECRETS #16

We're clearly in the 70s now - there's more than whiff of Bay City Rollers about these UK Secrets.

The Secrets - Sha La Ley

THE SECRETS #17

Disco/soul floor filler from 1975 - further information lost to the grubby disco floors of yore.

The Secrets - (Baby) Save Me 

THE SECRETS #18

Kansas City Secrets, first whispered about in 1979. Always got a soft spot for Power Pop.

The Secrets - It's Your Heart Tonight

THE SECRETS #19

Canadian punks from 1980, featuring Freddie Pompeii on vocals.

The Secrets - Teenage Rampage

THE SECRETS #20

Californian Secrets from 1980, featuring a Mr. Jack Hammer on drums. I'd love it if that was his real name.

The Secrets - Wishful Thinking

SECRETS #21

Another disco tune, from the US in 1981, though it may or may not have been a hit in Japan. The only band member listed in discogs is Israeli-born musician Noam Kaniel, who it appears went on to become a composer for TV cartoon soundtracks, including Power Rangers, The Fantastic Four and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

Secrets - Mr. Boogie Man

SECRETS #22

1983 brings us this "AOR Pomp Hard Rock band from Texas". Don't ask me: sometimes I just copy and paste.

Secrets - Last Man On Earth 

THE SECRETS #23

Californian Secrets who desperately wanted to be Duran Duran in 1984. Didn't we all?

The Secrets - Girls Will Be Girls

THE SECRETS #24

12 inches of 1985 dance-soul from Chicago... I hope you like it.

Secrets - I Like It

THE SECRETS #25

Country rock Secrets from 1985 Massachusetts...

The Secrets - Ways I Forget About You

SECRETS #26

Funky New York jazz instrumentalists from 1986, competitors in the Budweiser Showdown Tournament Of Jams. Not sure if they won.

Secrets - After Hours

THE SECRETS #27

Our sole 90s Secrets hail from Massapequa, New York.

The Secrets - (Just A) Dream

THE SECRETS #28

Racket-making Secrets from Virginia in the year the computers didn't all die like we expected them to. Lead singer Stevie was also in bands called Big Bobby And The Nightcaps, Pearl Schwartz, Pt109, The Bomb Pops, The Devil Dogs, The Dirty Fingers, The Vikings, The Matadors, The Villains and... best of all... Adam West. It turns out there are quite a few Adam Wests in rock 'n' roll, so I may have to look into that further.

Stevie & The Secrets - Who's Walkin' Who

THE SECRETS #29

Australian Secrets who may well have been around in the 80s, but released this in 2002...

The Secrets - Claudette Jones

THE SECRETS #30

Boston-based Secrets from 2002 with an unseasonal song. Surely if they waited for the snowploughs, their journey would be a lot easier?

The Secrets - Get Here Before The Snowploughs Do

THE SECRETS #31

More Australian Secrets, from 2007, led by JC himself... Johnny Casino, that is.

Johnny Casino & The Secrets - Take Me Down To Your River

THE SECRETS #32

The Secrets of Dorset... revealed in 2008.

The Secrets - Wild River

SECRETS #33

Metalcore / post-hardcore... I'm never sure how the suffix "-core" gets used in musical terms... is it the same as "-gate" in politics? SECRETS (they insist on ALL CAPS, apparently) came from San Diego in 2010 and despite "line-up instability", appear to be still going. Although they may or may not have lost their "clean" vocalist. These kinds of bands tend to employ both "clean" and "unclean" vocalists... take a listen and I'm sure you'll be able to spot the difference. One of them sounds like he's singing, the other one sounds like he needs an exorcist.

Secrets - Somewhere In Hiding

THE SECRETS #34

And finally today, some New Found Secrets... well, the came from Newfoundland in 2014.

The Secrets - Shack Shake

I'll let you into a secret. There were more than 33. A lot more. But after a while, I lose the will to live.

Which is your secret favourite... and which ones would you prefer I'd kept Secret?