Between the mid-to-late Fifties Rock 'n' Roll heyday and the Sixties tsunami of Beat, Folk, Soul and such, on both sides of the Atlantic there was a sanitization of the vocal talents being hit paraded - when instrumental recordings provided a more exciting antidote. They could be studio sessioneers vamping under an alias, backing groups stepping to the fore, established soloists or newly formed combos.
In the UK this wave of sound was predominantly (though not exclusively) a battle of electric guitar-led recordings. This second Smith & Co volume of British instrumentals again illustrates that although Hank Marvin of The Shadows is usually the best remembered homegrown Fender-bender of the era, other axe-wielders were often more potent. To name but three among the many featured on this release: Big Jim Sullivan, Vic Flick (both ubiquitous) and young Ritchie Blackmore with The Outlaws. How's your ear? Can you tell a Gibson from a Gretsch or a Les Paul from a Fender, or which nimble-fingered plucker best knew his rectum from his plectrum? Here are 60 good reasons to find out.
1: The Outlaws - Swingin' low
2: The Shadows - Man of mystery
3: The Hunters - Teen scene
4: The Krew Kats - Trambone
5: The John Barry Seven - I'm Movin' on
6: The Packabeats - Gypsy beat
7: Bert Weedon - The creep
8: Jim Gunner and the Echoes - Footloose
9: Joe Brown and the Bruvvers - Swagger
10: The Scorpions - Scorpio
11: Nero and the Gladiators - Boots
12: The Shadows - Apache
13: The John Barry Seven - Walk don't Run
14: Richard Harding - Temptation
15: The Sunsets - Manhunt
16: The Krew Kats - Peak Hour
17: The Barons - Cossack
18: The Outlaws - Ambush
19: The Shadows - The Stranger
20: Bert Weedon - The Prowler
21: Rhet Stoller - All Rhet
22: The Flee Rekkers - Bitter Rice
23: The Hunters - Golden Earrings
24: The Scorpions - Riders in the Sky
25: The Planets - Chunky
26: Steve Stannard - McDonald's cave
27: Tommy Steele with Joe Brown - Drunken guitar
28: Richard Harding - Jezebel
29: Bert Weedon - Eclipse
30: The Flee Rekkers - You are my sunshine
CD 2:
1: The Shadows - F.B.I.
2: The John Barry Seven - Hit and Miss
3: The Krew Kats - Samovar
4: Jim Gunner and the Echoes - Hoolee Jump
5: The Barons - Whirlwind
6: Rhet Stoller - Chariot
7: Nero and the Gladiators - Entry of the Gladiators
8: The Flee Rekkers - Green Jeans
9: Bert Weedon - Mr. Guitar
10: The Scorpions - Torquay
11: The Shadows - Quatermasster's Stores
12: Little Tony and his Brothers - The Beat
13: The Cannons - I didn't know the gun was loaded
14: Joe Brown and the Bruvvers - The Switch
15: Johnny Parker's Washboard Band - The Fox's Tail
16: Joe Henderson - Coffee bar jive
17: The Flee Rekkers - Blue Tango
18: Bud Ashton - Theme from Dixie
19: The John Barry Seven - Rockin' Already
20: The Shadows - The Frightened City
21: The Outlaws - Spring is near
22: The Scorpions - Rockin' at the Phil(harmonic)
23: The Flee Rekkers - Sunday date
24: The Club Quintet - Backstreet Boogie
25: Gerry Moore - Baker Street Boogie
26: Turk Ellis - On the rebound
27: Jack Parnell and his Music Makers - Night Train
28: Bert Weedon - Teenage Guitar
29: The Shadows - Back Home
30: The Flee Rekkers - Shiftless Sam
Artist: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title: "Great British Instrumentals – Just about as good as it gets!, Volume 2"
Label: SMITH & CO
Condition: New
Media: CD