SHINDIGGIT

WHOA!!! You Really Like it!

2010-05-09T18:54:00.001-04:00

Hey Kids,

A funny thing happened on my way to my inbox this morning. Apparently my Download Limit has been exceeded by almost twice my monthly allowance!

What this means:

You, faithfull listener, have downloaded almost 150gb of music this month from SHINDIGGIT. (took you 2 weeks actually!)

Back in the Fall, I spent some of my own hard earned cash to set up 75gb/month downloads with direct links from SHINDIGGIT via DivShare. I thought this would help some brothers and sisters download some good music without ads and good download rates. In the first time ever, you've gone over that limit and Divshare has suspended downloads from my site! WOW!

I believe the reasoning behind this, is that I leave my old posts active for downloads as well. I get comments all the time on tracks I posted 2 or 3 or even 4 years ago! If I just kept the most recent links active, I'm sure I'd fall nicely under the limit every month. What do you think? Should I kill off the older links?

The Fallout:

We'll have to wait two weeks for the account to reset itself OR if anyone is feeling particularily generous, you can donate to the cause via Paypal so I can upgrade the account (See Link Below!). Now I don't ask this lightly as I enjoy providing for you all with my own time and money, however, I cannot afford to invest more $$$ into the site at this time.

I have lots of stuff to post, however, as it stands, you'll have to come back and see me in a couple weeks when I can post more goodies for your musical consumption.

Well there you have it folks. Apparently Shindiggit is a success. Last month I celebrated my 4th year Blogging about the finer music and while my posts aren't as prolific as they were back then, I definitely haven't lost my urge to SHINDIGGIT!!!

Jason X

If you DO wish to donate, please click on the link below:

Mary Wells - Can't You See (You're Losing Me) (ATCO 45-6392)

2010-04-25T08:46:00.001-04:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD (or play below to listen!)

Hey Kids,

I'm back with another stomper that I had used in one of my "On A Northern Tip" mixes. I think the song itself warrants an individual look. Mary Wells is best known for her hit Motown single "My Guy" from 1964. Ironically, she ended up leaaving the hit giant that year due to contract issues. One year and two labels later, this track was recorded in Chicago on November 26th 1965. It's a fast dancer which challenges Motown at every corner. Played next to the Supreme's "Love is like an itching in my heart" and you can tell that the "Motown" sound was as good, if not better, at other labels as well.

So click play or download the single and prepare to tap your feet cause I know you're gonna SHINDIGGIT!

Jason X

Don Gardner - My Baby Likes To Boogaloo (Tru-Glo-Town 501)

2010-04-13T23:17:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD! (or press play below to listen)

Hey Kids,

I have finally returned from the West Coast of Canada and felt the need to lay down a couple tracks for you to enjoy. I really didn't find anything while away although I did hit a lot of Music shops whilst there. Not really sure why the pickin's were so slim but I guess you can't win them all. Lucky for you I have a ton of singles lined up for posting.

First up tonight is Don Gardner's "My Baby Likes To Boogaloo". This is a loud, fast, dirty and quite frankly, tremendous single. Cut on the Tru-Glo-Town label it's a low-fi tune that I believe (in recent years) influenced bands like "King Khan" and "The Heavy". Incidentally you'll not be disappointed digging up LP's by either of those bands for some new boss sounds.

Like the single below, I haven't been able to find out much about Mr. Gardner aside from the fact he'd been on the music scene since the early 50's and teamed up with Dee Dee Ford and Baby Washington for some duets with varying success. After listening to this song, I can't imagine that this is the same guy.....could I be wrong? Anyway, pull your finger out and listen to this track. It Kicks Ass!

For trivia purposes, The label for this single has 3 different versions. Basically different colour variations with the rainbow label being rarest. That being said, I seem to see that one around more than this one....odd how that works sometimes...

SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

Karen Small - To Get You Back Again (Venus 1067)

2010-04-13T22:55:00.001-04:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD! (or press play below to listen)

Hey Gang, this here is the second track of the night. Let's bring it down to a nice mellow with Karen Small. I originally picked this up in an Ebay Auction where it was too cheap to say no but quickly this becme one of my fav's if I'm looking for a midtempo groover.

Karen apparently released 2 singles for Venus which was apparently a West Coast outfit. While looking for info, I came across a blog which mentioned that Karen Small was found murdered shortly after the release of her second single and that the case is still unsolved. I have nothing to back this up and I don't beieve everything I read on the internet, but definitely a downer. If anyone has any info, please let me know as info on this lady is scarce.

In Other News:

With the release of the new Adidas Originals commercial, my hunting for Dee Edwards"Why Can't There Be Love" has hit a wall of ridiculous prices. I'm so frustrated on one hand because I cannot find it for a reasonable price and on the other hand I'm extremely happy to hear this music getting it's due with the masses. Even the remix version didn't manage to butcher the original feel of the song......so if anyone has a decent copy for a reasonble price..hit me up. In the meantime, listen to Karen Small and SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

Warm Weather Mix - Irie Still (66mb 41minutes 14 tracks!)

2010-03-16T22:57:00.002-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

1. Lyn Tait & The Jets - Soul Food (PAMA)
2. Eric "Monty" Morris - Say Bye Bye (Kentone)
3. Roy Shirley - Sleeping Beauty (LEE)
4. The Clarendonians - You Can't Be Happy (Coxsone)
5. Theo Beckford - Easy Snapping (New Beat)
6. Clancy Eccles - Feel The Rythm (New Beat)
7. Ken Lazarus - Monkey Man (FRM)
8. The Upsetters - Dollar In The Teeth (Upsetter)
9. Ken Parker - The Dynamic Ken Parker (Attack)
10. Big Youth - A So We Stay (Attack)
11. The Marvels - Got To Get Away (Trojan)
12. The Heptones - I've Got A Feeling (Attack)
13. U Roy - Natty Don't Fear (Virgin)
14. Burning Spear - Black Wa Da Da (Wolf)

So here we are. The weather has been in the plus for over a week now and we're looking to be out of Winter's way for another year. This made me throw some old Jamaican wax on the platters and lo and behold....a new mix was born! I thought I'd post the New Northern mix first but I just had to share my desire for warm weather tiding first. It's 41 minutes long with 14 songs. See what happened there? Weird huh?

The vinyl on some of these tracks is a little crunchy, but all are quite enjoyable....and besides, some people PAY for software to make their songs sound this way! Ha Ha Ha.

Life has been quite busy of late and I will be travelling next week to the other side of the country (For those of you "not in the know" Canada is HUGE, so travelling from Ontario to British Columbia is quite a distance, approx 6 hours by plane). I'm going to see if there are any record shops of note in British Columbia so I'm not neglecting my digging duties whilst away on the work trip.

I'm quite excited about this. You'll all benefit from any goodies out there, so wish me luck!

I want to revamp my Blog Roll, so if any of you wish me to add your Blog, let me know. I'm also Twittering away, so follow me HERE. You can also leave a comment if you hate the post.....you can leave a positive comment too if you want. That's it for today, I hope you SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

The Marvels - Got To Get Away (Trojan TR 7904)

2010-03-10T19:27:00.000-05:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!

Hi Kids,

Well it's been a lot warmer this week and it got me in a Jamaican mood. Thus todays blog post. Last week we had a winter storm and this week it's been 10 degrees centigrade. I can't help but feel that Spring is on it's way.

I picked this single up at the local record show this weekend and felt it was a good candidate for my warm weather celebration post. The Marvels aren't exactly Reggae royalty but they have the distinction of being produced by one Dandy Livingston. All in all a solid effort. The A Side is a touch more gospel with "He's got the whole world in his hands", but the B side is perky and fun with a DEEEP base line for those of you with good speakers and an ending that surprised me the first time I heard it. It almost sounds tacked on to the end of the song, like another song is starting.....however, it's nothing but goodness so listen for it.

There's not much else to say here as I don't know much about this band. Being on Trojan is usully a good thing and I've STILL never been disappointed. So SHINDIGGIT and be on the lookout for a new mix coming soon. I've been scoring some brilliant Northern Soul and want to present it in another installment of "On A Northern Tip". Follow me on Twitter (Here) if you want to chat about records or any other Twitter Fodder you can think of.

- Jason X

Lenis Guess - Just Ask Me (EMI Acetate)

2010-02-23T22:32:00.002-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Okay, so this is the second part of the post below. Side 2 of this Acetate that arrived in the mailbox this morning.

The second side is Lenis Guess's "Just Ask Me" originally on Legrand 1042. Released in about 1966 and packed with a mindbending Baseline this has the earmarks of a classic. I feel the disc is either wearing thin on this track or it was a poor recording as it sounds a little muddy, but still it's a floorfiller! Lenis (originally from Norfolk Virginia) is still at it today recording new music and even trying his hand at Directing. You can find out more from his own website (HERE!).

Make sure to scroll down to the next post (which is actually the FIRST post) to catch the flipside of this disc. Also, I've finaly succumbed to the beast that is Twitter. I mean I've spent the last week figuring it out and I'm still not sure of it's usefulness. Please feel free to follow my every move and inane bantering by clicking on the link below. I may even mention something about records from time to time. Ha Ha Ha Ha

- Jason X

Alice Clark - You Hit Me (EMI Acetate)

2010-02-23T21:57:00.007-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hi Folks,

I've got another Northern flavour post for you today and this time it's a twofer. Ya, I'm going to give you the A and B side to a recent purchase that just arrived in the mail today.

I've done a bit of online digging recently and should be reaping the benefits in the next couple days. There's some classics and some scarce singles coming your way. I'm waiting to get some together to do the next "On A Northern Tip" mix. However, I can't wait to tempt your tastebuds with these 2 class choons.

This double sided single is an acetate. For those who don't know, these were the test records that gave the producers an idea of what the finished product would sound like. It consisted of a thin layer of vinyl pressed over an aluminium plate. The track was then pressed into the finished product. More often than not, these were one sided, but 2 siders were not uncommon. Because of the way they made them, these acetates were pretty fragile and if you tracked too heavy on your needle, you'd probably dig a new groove in the record. They weren't made to last and most were garbage after 10-20 plays. I'm not going to go into too much detail as the story of acetates is very easy to find on the web.

I, however, have an idea that this is a knockoff EMI disc (Read here for more info) but it has two smashing tracks so I had to have one. On MY side of the pond we don't see a lot of these knockoff acetates and I wanted one for my collection. I figured I may as well own one with 2 great singles on it. Maybe now I need to purchase an authentic acetate to balance out the collection....hmmmmmmm....

This track is Alice Clark and her well known "You Hit Me (right where it hurt me)" originally on Warner Brothers 7270. I believe this was from 1966ish and does well to get you twirling on the dancefloor. Sadly I don't know much about this lady beyond the fact that she released a couple more singles approx 2 years apart from each other. Anyone else have any info?

Make sure to scroll back up and hit the play button on each of these tracks. Have a listen to these obscure gems. And if anyone has anymore information on the EMI acetates (bootleg or authentic) let me know, I can SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

Dance The Slurp - 7-11 Promo single

2010-02-13T09:28:00.001-05:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

It's a cool Saturday morning and I thought I'd warm things up a bit with a new track based on a flavoured ice drink. Well, not new, it's actually from 1970 and was given away to kids at their local 7-11 when they bought a Slurpee. This track has been revived by Cut Chemist in recent years and has developed a large fan base in the crate digging masses. I found this copy at a record show about 2 years back. The music is reminiscent of Spy Hunter or Batman with a real swingin' 60's vibe. The odd part is the slurping sound effects and the manic women yelling SLURP SLUUURP! So here it is in it's entirety. It's the wildest, the kookiest, the grooviest and let's not forget to mention...the Slurpiest single. Have a listen and SHINDIGGIT!

-Jason X

Adoms Treo - Reggae Experience (Nu-Sound S0059B)

2010-02-09T22:43:00.003-05:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Hey Folks,

I'm back with a single that's been rolling around in my head since I'd heard about the further toils in Haiti. My wife and I had visited the Dominican in September for our honeymoon. We met many folk from Haiti who worked in the resort and had many conversations with them about their lives there and the country itself. One fellow in particular, Terrance, was VERY proud of his country and was reflecting on how things were cleaning up and that he hoped people like us would consider vacationing in Haiti to increase the tourist trade. He worked for 2 weeks in the Dominican and then trekked back to Port-Au-Prince to give the money to his wife and child. He spent only 3 days at home before starting the process over again. These are good people making the best out of a bad situation and my heart goes out to them in their time of need. If you're out there Terry, I hope you and your family are alright!

The words to this song are simple and make me think of the children in Haiti. I originally included this single in my Jamaican mix, but I believe it is worth it to bring to the forefront and not buried in a mix. I know that the label is a subsidary or shadow of Straker, but cannot find any info on Adoms Treo. Have a listen and make sure to donate some $$$ to your nearest Haiti Relief Fund.

Jason X

Jean Wells - With My Love And What You've Got (We could turn the world around) (Calla C-143)

2009-11-09T18:24:00.000-05:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!

Hi Folks, I'm back again with a great number featured recently in my "On A Northern Tip Vol 2" mix. There's actually a few singles I want to spotlight in the coming weeks that made it to that mix, but this is the first. Jean Wells is a known entity in the world of northern soul. While this single is (in my humble opinion) her best, it's also quite reasonable to purchase. In comparison, my copy of September Jones "I'm Coming Home" is huge money when offered up for sale, this very comparable single can be found for a mere tenner if you know where to look. Go Look, NOW! It's worth it.

This track is actually the B side to "Have A Little Mercy" and was released in 1968. It's a northern track in my opinion but could find it's way into a lot of playlists. Uptempo with tons of horns and a strong voice make this a complete package.

SHINDIGGIT NOW!

- Jason X

Danny Hutton - Monster Shindig (HBR 447)

2009-10-31T13:12:00.002-04:00

Download Single Here!

Hey Good Goblins, Hey Good Spooks!

It's Halloween and time for the Monster Shindig! I was actually planning a Halloween mix this year but things got in the way (prepping for our annual Halloween Party). So instead I'm going to give you what was going to be the title track for my mix. Monster Shindig! Hmmm...seems quite suitable all things considered no?

This single was released on the Hanna-Barbara label in 1965. The following year there was a full LP featuring swinging spooky tunes perfect for a hip Halloween party. This track is the B-Side of "Roses and Rainbows" but as mentioned above, it's a small wonder why I gravitated to the B-Side over the A. I'm not going to go into to much detail as you can just press play below to hear it! This song is perfect for handing out candies to all the little Mummies and Vampires tonight, or doing the Hully Gully or the Twist at that Costume Party you've waited all year to go to.

Have a listen and...well...MONSTER SHINDIGGIT!

Jason X

NEW!

All new Posts will include Ad Free Direct Downloads! I'll convert some of the older ones as well, but enjoy the convenience!

Stepping it up.....For YOU!

2009-10-24T14:25:00.004-04:00

Heyyyyyyy, something seems different.......

I've gone ahead and updated my Blog Site. Blogger kept asking and I kept putting it off...so here it is. Comments are welcome so please let me know if this version makes you want to vomit or not. ;)

A couple things were lost in the translation and if you wish to have your Blog listed on here, please send me an email or comment.

You may notice a bit of a difference when you click to download a track or LP from SHINDIGGIT! I've spent some cash to upgrade my DivShare account to give you hotlinks without those pesky ads. Hopefully that helps. I will try to change over some of the older posts but I'll be focusing on the new stuff every week.

Thanks for reading SHINDIGGIT!

-Jason X

Jackie Shane - Sticks And Stones (SUE 776)

2009-10-24T11:53:00.010-04:00

DOWNLOAD the single here

Hey Kids,

I'm back with a tasty treat today. You know I try to pepper my blog with a good dose of Canadian talent. This country has produced some of the top recording artists in the world. Up until recently (last 20 years or so) Canadian artists followed their nose and didn't fall into that cookie cutter machine that is the US recording industry. Our music was a little bit different than some of the stuff you'd hear from our friends over the border.

Well in the early 60's we had a fellow who was REALLY different from the mainstream. Ya I'm talking about Jackie Shane. His voice was smooth, His songs were powerful and he liked to cross dress as well. I've read reviews and heard one person quote that Jackie was “Little Richard meets Prince meets Eartha Kitt!” He actually was a distant cousin to Little Richard.....Huh.

Jackie had a distinct way of singing (as you'll hear on this single) and an energetic stage show that kept his Toronto fans enthralled during his live shows. This single is the B-Side to a version of William Bell's Any Other Way. Released in 1963 it was Jackie's second single and part of the brief flame that he produced in the Toronto area. Sadly Jackie "disappeared" around 1967. Some suggest he came to a violent end in Los Angeles but others say he just quietly left when popularity started to decline. Either way, nobody really knows and all that's left is a history of 4 singles and 1 live LP.

There's been a resurgance in interest in Jackie in the Northern scene as you might hear why in the single today. Have a listen and SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

Bohemian Vendetta (Mainstream S 6106) STEREO

2009-10-14T22:02:00.007-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE LP HERE!

Hey Kids,
I'm back with a special treat. Whilst digging through my stacks o' vinyl, I came across this record. It had been sitting around for over a year, waiting to be digimatized for the Blog. I've been in a soul kind of mood for quite a while and after doing some maintenance on the blog I realized how long it's been since I posted anything with loud guitars and snotty vocals! Well my friends, I present to you a Garage Punk band who is trying VERY hard to be Psychedelic and one of the rarest records on the Mainstream label.
I had a very hard time listening to this when I first got it, however I think that was due to the immense assortment and variety of genres I picked up during a VERY successful dig. Listening to it all when you get home can make your mind play tricks like trying to eat an orange after brushing your teeth (this album was the orange....).
Upon further reflection this LP was worth a solid listen. Bohemian Vendetta (also known as the Bohemians) were together from '66 till '69 and this is the only full LP release. I noticed a single on United Artists which was also released on this LP, but I'm not able to get much more info regarding their earlier history. This album is raw. It has tonnes of wailing guitars and tries very hard to be Psyche but you can't help but hear that punk band underneath the marshmallows and lollipops. The first track (listenable above) is by far the most commercial and an instant punk classic really. The rest of the album offers up a couple covers (a tortuous rendition of the Stones Satisfaction and a slightly better version of House Of The Rising Sun) and a compliment of originals which screech and wail to finality.
I wanted to share the entire LP with you since it's better listened to as a whole. You can listen to the first track "Riddles & Fairytales" by clicking play above, or download the whole LP by clicking download!
SHINDIGGIT!

Jason X

Walter Jackson - Speak Her Name (Okeh 4-7272)

2009-10-07T22:16:00.011-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

It's story time tonight. Something I'm sure a few of you can relate to.....Last weekend, I was listening to a stack of forgotten wax (sound familiar so far?) when one of my speakers went kaput! Now, I have a nice set of PSB 300i's and when one of them went, I wanted to cry (but I didn't). If you've never heard of the Canadian made PSB speaker series....you really need to check them out. So cutting out the unnecessary middle of this story, I bought (for a VERY good price) some new (old) speakers. I get them home and hook them up and?...... The same speaker is crackling away. CRAP!!! Turns out it's my Amp. Luckily, a friend of mine saved me from totally losing it and brought over a spare amp he had sitting in the basement. After a few minutes of setup we were both basking in the glory that are Paradigm 7se MkIII reference speakers (also Canadian!)...Happy Ending! Wait! There was also nothing wrong with the PSBs! I'll have to fit them in somewhere...........The End.

Anyway, the single for tonight was the record on my platter when I plugged in the new speakers. This is a recent find and an instant favourite. It's a ballad with an almost trip-hop beat to it. Mr. Walter Jackson was a Floridian who grew up in Michigan....who then left for Chicago where this single was released in 1967. This fella had a VOICE! I'm always impressed by singers who can carry a song with minimal musical backup. Walter's voice is WAY up front on this track and the backing music is fantastic. Give it a click and SHINDIGGIT!

On A Northern Tip Vol 2!! (74mb)

2009-09-29T18:32:00.009-04:00

Click Here to DOWNLOAD!

Hello Strangers. It's been a while. The days are getting shorter, the weather cooler, I've gotten married and it's time to devote some more time to my Blog. My track record this year has been ridiculously bad for posting, but that doesn't mean I've been neglecting my collecting. So here I am, rearing my ugly head from my corner of the Blogisphere. I've been playing with my records a lot lately. I've had a bit more time. I've been thinking how lovely it'd be to play a night out sometime soon....so we'll see. But first, I thought I'd share a second installment of "On A Northern Tip". This is a new mix of records I've acquired along the way but always stay within' arms reach when I'm on the system. Let's break it down:

1. Tommy Neal - Goin' to a Happening (Vocalion)
This is a great starting track. Tommy sounds like he's about to blow a gasket by the end but it really just leaves us wanting more. Let's all go to this happening!

2. Mr. Floods Party - Compared To What (Bulldog)
A remake of the classic Les McCann & Eddie Harris song (which is brilliant in it's own right) this one takes it to the dancefloor. If you like the sound, do NOT buy the expensive Mr. Floods Party LP. It's not the same sound at all......

3. Case of Tyme - Manifesto (Legend)

Another band who puts the eff in Effort. James Lewis puts a lot of soul into this track AND you can dance to it....but that's the theme here.....

4. The Chevelles - The Gallop (Flaming Ember)
I got this in a lot of Detroit singles I purchased a few months back. It's got the same flavour as the previous songs but may stray a bit to the funky side..... but I feel it works here.....

5. Mary Wells - Can't You See (You're Losing Me) (ATCO)
If the last track was kinda funky, this is all kinds of Northern Soul. Powerful uptempo dancer! It's not to be ignored

6. Jean Wells - With My Love And What You Got (Calla)
Another stonker! Jean (not related to Mary I believe) should have released more than her 1 LP in the 60's. She has a fantastic voice!

7. The Artistics - Hope We Have (Brunswick)
Not the rarest record but I can't resist, it's just THAT damn good! A Northern classic!

8. Bobby Wells - Let's Copp A Groove (Romur)
Uptempo classic.....It has a hard time leaving your head after hearing. You'll be humming it tomorrow.

9. Chuck Jackson - These Chains Of Love (Are Breaking Me Down) (Wand)
Chuck has built a wall of sound with this single. It's a dancer!

10. Joe L - (I'm Not Gonna Be) Worried (Clissac)

I don't know much about Joe L, maybe someone else does? Great Track though!

11. Loretta Long - Someday Little Children (Warner Brothers)
Loretta Long is Susan on the original Sesame Street. This is a single I found in a garage sale one day and it stuck to me like glue. Slower to start but Susan can SING!

12. Linda Jones - I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby (LOMA)
Another Northern Classic.

13. Witches & The Warlock - Behind Locked Doors (Sew City)
I bought this on Ebay. Yes, I said it. I shop on Ebay now. I mean I still dig locally but some things aren't going to be found around here. After almost 20 years, I KNOW this.

14. The Javells (Feat Nosmo King) - Goodbye Nothin to Say (PYE)
This track is getting more into a 70's sound but you can't help but raise your hands when the chorus starts. So a fitting end to a fun batch of songs I play regularily.

I hope you enjoy the mix. Make sure you let me know if you want to hear a third installment. I'll be around bit more often now.

- Jason X

Live this Saturday!

2009-04-22T06:10:00.004-04:00

Hey Folks!

I just wanted to let you know that yours truly and a few others will be spinning a Shindiggity good mix of Soul, Funk etc from our crates at Pepperjack Cafe in Hamilton this Saturday night.

Come on out and say hello. We'd love to see you there.

Click HERE for a map.

Things get under way around 9pm

- Jason X

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-03T11:18:00.016-05:00

Okay Okay, so it's the third....Let's just say I had a very large headache after New Years. I hope you all had a fantastic night and wish you the very best in '09.
I've been observing the download patterns for SHINDIGGIT and have found that my current File Host Divshare is maxxing out dwnloads at 10gb/month. Now with a little math, this means that 1 mix being almost 100mb can only be downloaded 100 times (roughly) before Divshare shuts down my downloads. SO, I've been shopping for a new File Hoster and would like to try posting my mixes there. I would appreciate you guys letting me know if this works. I may then move everything else if it goes smoothly.
I'm not going to post a new song or mix today, but I am going to post links to all my mixes so far (Which isn't THAT many really). So if you missed SHINDIGGING one, here's a chance to SHINDIGGIT again!

See You Soon!

- Jason X

Click on the link in the "originally posted" section for tracklistings.

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Funky Feet Funky Sweet (originally posted March 2008 on This is Tomorrow)(83mb)

DOWNLOAD HERE!(or press play to listen!)

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FUZZ THE WORLD (originally posted here April 03 2008)(84mb)

DOWNLOAD HERE!(or press play to listen!)

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EVERYTINGS IRIE (originally posted on FUFU STEW May 16th 2008) (138mb)

DOWNLOAD HERE!(or press play to listen!)

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BOUNCING SOUL Vol 1 (originally posted here on June 17th 2008) (54mb)

DOWNLOAD HERE!(or press play to listen!)

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On A Northern Tip Vol 1 (90mb)

2008-12-21T21:01:00.014-05:00

Click here to DOWNLOAD!

Hey Kids,

2 nights, 2 posts. I told you I was back! I was just messin' around the house and thought I'd do up a mix for those of you who've waited a long time for me to show my face again. It's not huge as I decided to split it into 2 or possibly 3 sets for future posts. I hope you like it.

Nods go out to Kevin for his always exciting bins of 45's for me to dig through. One day I'd love to digitize those "really expensive" singles of yours for SHINDIGGIT (nudge nudge) LOL. Todays selections are all either true Northern classics or have a good Northern flavour to them. They all have 1 thing in common and that's the fact you can dance your *** off to all of them. If you don't find yourself at least tapping your feet, you're deaf or dead! Let's break it down shall we?:

1. Archie Bell & The Drells - (There's gonna be a) Showdown (Atlantic) Archie never disappoints. Tighten Up and Can't Stop Dancin' are fav's but this Gamble & Huff production just invites you to fancy up your steps and give it a spin on the dancefloor. I love the countdown near the end....

2. Chubby Checker - (At The) Discotheque (Parkway) He'll forever be know as "that guy who sang the Twist" but Chubby was still filling the dancefloor years later with this Northern flavoured dancer

3. Bill Deal & The Rhondels - What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am (Heritage) Now, I have no idea if this was ever played at a Northern all-nighter but I think it has a great sound. The horns and pace make it a great dancer.

4. The Impressions - Can't Satisfy (ABC) Curtis & The fellas released this in '66 and while not rare at all, it's a classic...

5. Edwin Starr - I Have Faith In You (Ric-Tic) Released as the B-Side for the smash (SOS) Stop Her On Sight, this song has found it's way into the hearts of Northern Soul fans. Edwin seemed to turn everything he touched into gold.

6. The Chessmen - Why Can't I Be Your Man (Chess) Okay, I can't find ANYTHING about these guys. I'm assuming they're the Chess House band but no info is forthcoming. The song starts out frighteningly similar to "I Can't Help Myself" but then moves on. Fantastic northern soul.

7. Jackie Lee - Your P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L.I.T.Y. (Mirwood) Another Northern Stonker from the mills of Mirwood Records. Jackie Lee is best known for his single "The Duck" which I'll post on here at a later date.

8. Gloria Jones - Heartbeat Pt 1 - (Capitol) Yes, She of "Tainted Love" fame actually made other songs too. This is my Canadian pressing which seems a little too deep in the Bass but maybe that's the way they all are......the song is killer so it's not so bad.

9. The Flirtations - Nothing But A Heartache (Deram) Sweet mother of god I love this song. As I've mentioned to my friends, it's relentless. It just sets the pace in the first 3 seconds and it's cruise control till the end.

10. Lou Pride - I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un (SUEMI) Ya I don't think this is the original so don't get too excited! This single kinda crosses borders. It's a great funk tune but it also works as a Northern dancer as well. Crazy Rare (Like maybe 500 REAL copies worldwide kinda rare), but I'll keep this copy as a place holder till I find the real thing. Trust me, you're gonna love this track!

11. Madeline Bell - Picture Me Gone (Philips) The B-Side of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" this is one of those Classic Northern tunes you never forget.

12. Lou Johnson - Unsatisfied - (Bigtop) I finally scored this on the Yellow Bigtop label. What an amazing song! Another classic, but it just moves ya AND grooves ya. It's one of a few in my collection that still gives me goosebumps when it starts playing. How about you?

13. Bob Kuban & The In-Men - The Cheater (Musicland USA) Vocals by Walter Scott This track is a barnstormer! I have so much fun with this. It's integral Northern Soul (IMHO of course!)

14. Chuck Wood - Seven Days Too Long (MOJO) I believe this is the first re-release of this classic Northern song. In the 70's Seven days was apparently too long to wait for the next all-nighter....That makes this track an anthem. That and you'll have a hard time getting it out of your head once you hear it!

15. The Olympics - Do The Philly-Dog (Mirwood) This label is chock full of great tunes, but then so is Revilot, Ric-Tic, O'Keh and the zillions of other indie labels of the time. This track is another song about dancing.....but at least this is a catchy one :)

16. Gloria Jones - Heartbeat Pt 2 (Capitol) Last but not least, I thought I'd revisit Gloria. This is the little played yet eqally brilliant part 2. It'd be great to pin those 2 parts together somehow...Hmmmm....

Well there you have it folks. I was going to post the labels but it'd take up way too much room. Let me know what you think.I have another mix on the way (Vol 2) so shout out loud if you want to hear it!

- Jason X

Frankie Valli - You're Ready Now (Smash S-2037)

2008-12-20T23:43:00.008-05:00

Click Here To Download!

Hi Kids, Remember Me?

Yikes! It's been a long long long time....long time. First off, I apologize profusely for the wait. Secondly, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who left positive comments and emails whilst I was on "Hiatus".

So what was that hiatus all about you ask?

WORK: Too much work and not enough co-workers make Jason a busy boy! 'nuff said!

HOUSE: Old Man Winter is here and there have been numerous upgrades and whatnot preparing for what appears to be a bad winter. We are currently under 20cm of snow with another storm coming tonight to dump another 25cm and the temperature is -24 degrees celsius. (For you in the US - That's Friggin' Chilly!)

WEDDING: That's Right! Yours truly is getting married this upcoming August! With only 8 months left before the big day, there has been a lot of planning going on...but we're feeling much better now! :)

That pretty much sums up where I've been. However, I have also had time to dig up some great slabs of wax. Most of it has been Northern Soul and you'll see that reflected in my next few posts. I'm planning a killer mix in the VERY near future so as not to bore you with individual posts.

I thought todays selection was appropriate since (as the title suggests) I'm Ready Now to resume the helm of the good ship SHINDIGGIT! I've always had a soft spot for this song. It's one of those relentless songs that don't really let up. Taking a bit of a solo break from his 4 Seasons, Frankie released this in 1966. This has been gobbled up by the Northern Soul scene as it's catchy, it's fast and you can dance to it. What more is there to say but, have a listen and SHINDIGGIT!

-Jason X

Hiatus

2008-07-28T21:19:00.006-04:00

Shindiggit is on Temporary Hiatus for this month. I WILL be back, however my work schedule is making it nigh impossible to update at the moment. You can leave messages or comments for me here on the site still and I will respond to each as I get a second to check them.

More Wax Fantastic on it's way...SOON.....REALLY SOON!

-Jason X

SHINDIGGIN' FUFU STEW! (49mb)

2008-06-20T23:20:00.008-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hi Again Music Fans!

Well it's been less than a week since my last post (I hope you liked the mix). Tonight I am proud to present a mix from my good friend Vincent over at FuFu Stew! Vincent is one of the nicest guys here in our end of the Blogisphere. He's done me the honour of hosting some of my mixes as well as others from around the web, so it's only natural that I return that favour. By the way, make sure you pop over to his blog and congratulate him not only for his great taste in music and fantastic mixes but on his upcoming wedding as well!! Let me hand it over now to Vincent:

Greetings all you Shindiggit fans. I like 45s too. There's nothing like the sound of a good old dusty slab of imperfect vinyl. Here's a few all time faves and some new scores that I came across in the field, as well as a couple that were graciously loaned to me from some very good friends who appreciate my obsession for 45 collecting. Some of them are a little worn, but that only gives me incentive to dig deeper for better quality copies.

01 Shout And Shimmy-James Brown (King). Would you believe the first time I heard this one was when the Who performed it on none other than the classic show Shindig! That's part of the reason for the introspeak, which comes from an old VHS I had laying around.

02 Do It One More Time-Alvin Cash (Mar V Lus). I ALWAYS buy Alvin Cash records when I'm digging in the field. Here's one of the many incarnations of his classic homage to the Twine...

03 Shotgun-Jr. Walker & The All Stars (Soul). A timeless tune, but doesn't it sound so much better in glorious mono on a 45?

04 I've Got Just The Thing-Lou Courtney (Riverside). Just like Cash, I ALWAYS buy Lou Courtney records...

05 You Met Your Match-Stevie Wonder (Tamla). Here's one of the genius's many and varied deep album cuts which I was lucky enough to score on a 45 a couple of weeks ago. A pure funk bomb with the percussion brought up in the mix unlike on the LP...

06 The Chicken-Jackie Lee (UNI). Here's another highly sought after piece that I'm thankful to have found at long last. The next three are also pretty important to me in that respect...

07 Funky Boo Ga Loo-Jerry O (Shout)

08 Sang And Dance-The Bar Kays (Volt)

09 Sockin' 1-2-3-4-John Roberts (Duke)

10 20-75-Willie Mitchell (Hi). Nobody puts down a foot stomping performance like Poppa Willie. While this one's pretty common in the States, I had to pick up this Canadian pressing just because...

11 Don't Give It Away-Isley Brothers (T Neck). This one's a bit worse for wear but quite necessary as it uses a different (and slightly longer) mix from the LP.

12 I Can't Stop Loving My Baby-Linda Jones (Loma)

13 She's Looking Good-Wilson Pickett (Atlantic). Big ups to my friend Tony from the UK for putting this one in my mailbox. It's not often that you can find pre-70s Atlantic 45 issued in true stereo.

14 Day Tripper-The Vontastics (St. Lawrence). Here's a nice Northern spin on an old Beatles standard.

15 Sock It To Me-Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (New Voice)

16 Hide And Seek-The Sheep (Boom). This is my new all time favourite 45. Just can't get enough of that driving beat. I put this one on specifically for Jason in response to the Shakey Jakes record he hipped us to a few months back. Some real blue eyed soul FIRE for your ears! Don't burn yourself now...

17 Drums A Go Go-Hollywood Persuaders (Original Sound). Thanks once again to the power of the internet, here's a fairly common piece which I later discovered is one of Frank Zappa's early recoded efforts dating back to 1964! I learn something new every day...

18 46 Drums And 1 Guitar-Little Carl Carlton (Back Beat)

19 Raccoon-The Rhythm Rebellion (Tangerine). This one I scored on the strength of the late Ray Charles's Tangerine label which also produced the highly sought after 45 from the Mod Squad. While I know very little about the group, the tune is well worth the price I paid for its funky rhythm (no pun intended here)...

20 Hey Mr. DJ-Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces (Checker). I wrap up with a basic Soul number, dedicated to all of the DJs out there, even armchair DJs such as myself as I'm still looking for the perfect gig. One day it will come, I'm sure...

Please download and enjoy this Shindiggit special, an mp3 file, 49 MB. Thanks to Jason for letting me hang out and share some of my dusties with all of you... Be sure to drop by and visit Fufu Stew for many more mixes. My number one purpose is preserving freeform for posterity. Have fun, be safe and as always,SHINDIGGIT! Peace and blessings.

Well there you have it folks, another fine mix from FuFu Stew. Always a fine meal coming out of that kitchen. Go on in and get some!
- Jason X

Bouncing Soul Volume 1 (54mb)

2008-06-17T22:44:00.008-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE!

Hi Gang,

I'm back with another mix. I haven't unleashed anything in Mix form for a while so I thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce you to some new stuff as well as mix in some familiar selections from previous posts. Since most of my mixes are long and quite large files, I went with a bit different format this time around. The mix will be part of a series (how many, I don't know yet....) consisting of 13 tracks each. Todays installation is intended to make you want to dance. I know I'm tapping my foot furiously as I write this so it shouldn't be too hard. The track listing is as follows:

01 The Intruders - Turn The Hands Of Time (REO)
02 JJ Barnes - Baby Please Come Back Home (TransWorld)
03 Jimmy Jones - 39-21-40 Shape (Bell)
04 Jay & The Techniques - Contact (Smash)
05 Tyrone Davis - Turn Back The Hands Of Time (Cotillion)
06 Jackie Ross - Dynamite Lovin' (Chess)

07 Betty Everett - Take Me (UNI)
08 Tim Tam & The Turn-Ons - Wait A Minute (Palmer)
09 JJ Jackson - But It's Alright (Allied)
10 The Esquires - And Get Away (Bunky)

11 Jarvis Jackson - The Long Dog (SIMS)
12 Lou Courtney - Skate Now (TransWorld)
13 Don Covay & The Good Timers - Iron Out The Rough Spots (Atlantic)

Let me know what you think.

On another note, I'll be watching closely as Our Canadian government decides whether it will bend to the will of US Big Entertainment or not. In case you haven't heard, they're proposing a new bill which will reflect the Digital Millenium Act the US imposed almost a decade ago. I'm curious as to how they view Bloggers. I find I download from the Blogs to get a listen to potential digs in the future. I would always prefer the vinyl to the digital download but how is big brother gonna see it? If you're interested, there's more info at this site (Click Here). I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Okay, enough of that nonsense...download the mix and SHINDIGGIT!!!

-Jason X

A Thursday Twofer' (Plus a Rant!)

2008-06-05T22:34:00.010-04:00

Hi Kids,

I hope you're all enjoying the little dittys I've been laying down for you lately. I have fun doing it and when you leave me comments, I know you're shindiggin' it as much as me. This brings me to my rant (which will be mercifully short I promise). Some of you may have noticed the comments that started on my last post "Tiger People". There were 2 from Hamilton (My hometown). A fellow stated he was going to play this track at a bar here in town and the reply was less than agreeable. You see some people don't think it's cool to steal a guys heat and play it out locally. I'm at odds with this. On one hand, I am freely offering these tunes for you to listen to in the hopes that you'll recognize it next time you're digging those dusty crates. On the other hand, I know that some guys (hell maybe most guys) are downloading them for their own soul nights or mixes (can you say Serato's anyone? LOL). I guess what's irked me a bit is someone who DJ's from my hometown who would er....borrow a track for their night reducing the WOW factor when I spin the original on one of MY nights. Maybe I'm just being petty. As a DJ (as green as I am) I take pride in playing the original slabs o' wax instead of the digital copies, but I guess I'm just kinda old school that way. The digital age has allowed me to offer these songs to you and the DJ trend is going to digital formats. Whatever the case it has opened my eyes a little bit to the possibilities, both positive and negative. As a side note...the comment left wasn't too specific and it did leave the option that maybe this fellow already owned a copy...if so, play it LOUD! ;)

(End of Rant)

Addendum - I believe that when I wrote this I was on goofballs or something. My idea has always been (and still is) that the Music is for everyone. As I replied to the comments on that single, I made this song available and if the reader has dug this far into the dark corner of the web my blog resides in....well take what you need. Maybe just tell some people about my blog as a favour! Besides, at the end of the day, I still have the original slab of wax....so, I just felt I needed to clarify this without just deleting the original comment..... - Jason X

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

So for my first pick for tonight, I thought I'd hit you with my Northern Stick and set you up with some Jimmy Jones. I picked this single up at a Flea Market a couple weeks ago and can't get the darned thing out of my head (ya that happens a lot). Jimmy "Handyman" Jones was a Gospel singer who had a few minor hits in the 50's. Apparently, he recorded this as his second to last single (in his career) for Bell in 1967. It's a great midtempo stomper with lots of hand pumping moments. Not a record I see very often around these parts. Give it a whirl....

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

Next up is Millie Jackson. I guess you could call this a crossover classic. Apparently much beloved at the english scooter rallies, I managed to forget my copy for Niagara (Boo-urns!). Millie is an interesting cat. She recorded for MGM in the 60's then left for Spring Records. She has probably some of the WORST album covers (or best if you like cheese) out there.

Don't let the Album Covers scare ya! This track is her 3rd to hit the charts for Spring Records in 1972. I call it a crossover because it's still a great northern track even if it does "cross over" into the 70's. I'm sure a lot of Early Wigan, Wheel and Torch fans cringe at this stuff....but since I wasn't around back then, it's ALL fair game for me! Well enough of my rambling....on with the show....This is IT!

Tiger People - GIMMEWACHOOWAN (Polydor 2065 240DJ)

2008-05-22T21:58:00.010-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Good Day Music Fans!

Well I have spent the last week paying in sweat for taking the long weekend off for the Niagara Scooter Rally last weekend. It's been a gruelling week at work so don't hate me if I haven't hit you with some musical love recently. So what did you think of the Irie mix I posted for FuFu Stew? I did a variation of it for my scooter friends on the weekend....well actually I played forever.... propelled by beer and my favourite fungus (wink wink nod nod) I played with my friend on the wheels of steel till 6am on Friday night. By that time I was practically crawling on the floor but as the Dells said "Oh What a Nite!". I tried to recreate that the following night but to no avail...my body just couldn't take the punishment I had dealt it during the previous 30 hours or so....Besides, the were other DJ's as well and my hats off to Gene from Scooters Originali who had some VERY deep crates of Northern Soul. It was a pleasure to listen to you play sir.

I've posted a track I picked up recently, that I can find absolutely NO INFORMATION on the interweb about. It's a Canadian DJ Promo from 1974 called "GIMMEWACHOOWAN" by Tiger People....ring any bells? Well if it does, let me know. I'm curious as #@*% to find out more about them. This track is a double A Side in Mono (wierd for '74) and sounds like it belongs in a good Blaxploitation movie. The Bass line and the backup vocals are a joy to hear, so while I toddle off to bed, crank it up and SHINDIGGIT!

- Jason X

**NOTE** I had another try at seeing what was what with this single and stumbled across this website (CLICK HERE). I wonder if this is the SAME Art Phillips who arranged the track for today? Not to mention, did he design a cool sleeve for it as well....LOL.

I'm Diggin' The Kitchen....

2008-05-16T00:06:00.005-04:00

Hi Kids, One of my favourite sites in this small (but expanding) world of Music Blogs is FuFu Stew. Vincent has been cooking up some great stuff for my listening pleasure in the past couple of years. I hoped to return the favour by submitting a mix for his "Come On In My Kitchen" posts. Well I got the nod today and if you pop on over to his site you can download a Jamaican mix I did a couple days ago. Click on the picture above to take you there. Remember to say Hello to Vincent over there. I'm off to the Niagara Scooter Rally this evening, so have a grand weekend and I'll be back soon with more tasty morsels on the way.....

-Jason X

Mix Songlist:

1. Jackie Mittoo - Groovy Spirit (Summus)
2. Byron Lee & The Dragonairres - Here I am Baby (Dynamic)
3. The Maytals - Feel So Good (Trojan)
4. Dandy Livingstone - Reggae In Your Jeggae (Trojan)
5. Desmond Dekker & The Aces - It Mek (Trojan)
6. Ethiopians - Train To Skaville (Record Corner)
7. Eric "Monty" Morris - Sammy Dead (Kentone)
8. Prince Buster - Rough Rider (Prince Buster)
9. Peter Tosh - Them A Fe Get A Beatin' (Attack)
10. Heptones - The Magnificent Heptones (Attack)
11. Mad Lads - Ten To One (Coxsone)
12. Augustos Pablos - Lover's Mood (Hot Shot)
13. Augustos Pablos - Lover's Rock (Hot Shot)
14. U Roy - King Tubby Skank (Jackpot)
15. Derrick Harriot - Brown Baby (Trojan)
16. Ken Boothe - Is It Because I'm Black (Wild Flower)
17. Adoms Treo - Reggae Exprence (Nu Sound)
18. Max Romeo & The Upsetters - Chase The Devil (Island)
19. Jennifer Lara & Soul Vendor - Tell Me Where (Coxsone)
20. Roots Radics Band - CHART (African Museum)
21. Hortense Ellis - I Don't Have A Wooden Heart (Imperial)

Let's Go Baby (Where The Action Is) - Robert Parker (NOLA 721)

2008-05-13T22:45:00.006-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hi Again Kiddies,

I've been trying hard to fit in the time to make posts on this here Blog but since we're relandscaping the front lawn and having terribly busy schedule at work, it's been pretty difficult. I decided to force myself to get in front of the information machine tonight to give you something new...er...old to chew on for a bit. I have lots more up my sleeve for the coming weeks.

This weekend marks 10 years I've been attending the Niagara Scooter Rally up here. They have it every May two-four weekend (which is Victoria Day weekend for the un-initiated, That's Queen Victoria's B-Day). It's a weekend full of drinking, Vespas, Lambrettas, drinking, music, drinking and drinking. Some might say I'm too old to have fun like that anymore....but you'd be wrong. It seems as though I may be DJing a set or two Friday and Saturday night if all goes well, so any locals who're attending may see me spinning the wax fantastics. Come on over and say hello.

To get me pumped for this occasion (2 sleeps left!!) I thought I'd post a staple of mine and a classic single for most. I mean if you haven't heard this tune, well.....maybe some of you haven't. It's been a MOD/Scooter run standby for a long long time...So as my good friend Robert Parker says (whilst Barefootin')
Let's Go Baby....Where The Action Is........

I hope You all shindiggit and I'll see you next week for another installment of........well...you get my meaning.

Keep The Faith!

Jason X

Niagara Scooter Rally Info: CLICK HERE!

Max Romeo & The Upsetters - Chase The Devil (Island ILPS 9392)

2008-05-07T00:06:00.010-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

WOW! ,you ever have one of those days where everything kinda sucks, then something happens which elevates you to cloud nine in about 2 seconds flat? This happened to me yesterday. Had to do an overnight....back in again about 4 hours after I get home.....just flat tired man. So I'm on my way home and hit up one of my local record shops. I don't know whether my spidey senses were working overtime or not but I see a stack of vinyl sitting waiting to be sorted and I just new there was something waiting there for me. Boy, was I right. I picked up 26 LPs from said pile. 95% were Jamaican LPs from the 70's. Beautiful labels like Trojan, Coxsone, Harry J, Studio One, Wolf and more. Here's the list of my finds:

I Roy - Many Moods of (Trojan)

Burning Spear - Garvey's Ghost Dub Album (Wolf)

John Holt - Magnificent John Holt (Channel One)

Tradewinds - Sexy Lady (Penny)

Winston Hewitt Band - Snapshot (Corner Store)

Derrick Harriott - Born To Love You (Crystal)

Ken Boothe - Everything I own (Wild Flower)

Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths - Kemar (Harry J)

Heptones (Studio One)

Heptones - On Top (Studio One)
Max Romeo & The Upsetters - War Ina Babylon (Island)
Stranger Cole & The Col Sister - We'll Meet (Record Corner 12")
Bob Andy - Songbook (Coxsone)
Maytals - From The Roots (Trojan)
Toots & The Maytals - Reggae Got Soul (Island)
Hortense Ellis - The Queen Of Rockers (Imperial)
Byron Lee & The Dragonaires - Rock Steady Explosion (Trans World)
Various - Heptones & Friends 2 (Attack)
Judy Mowatt - Mellow Mood (Tuff Gong)
John Holt - One Thousand Volts Of Holt (Trojan)
Derrick Herriott - Greatest Reggae Hits (Trojan)
Dennis Brown - How Can I Leave You (Gibbs)
Clifton Chenier - Black Snake Blues (Arhoolie)
Tyrone Davis - Turn Back The Hands Of Time (Cotillion)
James Brown - Hell (Polydor)
Fred & The New JB's - Breakin Bread (People)

Now THAT's quite a haul for me....OBVIOUSLY I'll be digitizing this stuff in the near future (I've already done some for the portable music machine) so keep a look out for it.
One of the LPs I picked up was Max Romeo & The Upsetters "War Ina Babylon". This LP contains the track "Chase The Devil" which has been on my want list for ages....so I decided to include it here for you all to hear. If you know it already, listen to it again....if you've never heard it before? You're in for a treat.....some may remember the Prodigy sampling this song back in the early 90's....SHINDIGGIT!!!

-Jason X

Joe Cuba Sextet - El Pito (Tico T-470)

2008-05-01T19:58:00.006-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

BONUS! DOWNLOAD THE B-SIDE (Aricebo) HERE!

Whoaaaa! Man, I have been neglecting my friends in the Blogisphere. However, those of you who emailed me now know that it was due to the calamitous demise of my Blogatrix (aka Computer). Ya I know, I work in the IT feild, what happened...well when a motherboard decides to pop it's capacitors, it's game over baby. I secretly think I blew it's mind with all the great tunes I was recording at the time......So I finally parted ways with a significant amount of scratch et voila! I'm back! I didn't forget about you....honest.

So let's get that heavy ball rolling again with a tune I constantly have stuck in my head every time I play it. This track is EXTREMELY addictive. As the band name hints, this is a classic Latin groove. Not terribly rare but a stonker nonetheless. I had previously posted a Joe Cuba Sextet single (Find It Here!) and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Granted that was a much rarer tune than this but man, if it's a good slab o' wax, I can't resist. Joe Cuba is known to most as the Father of Latin Boogaloo. This is really his first BIG hit (1965) with a couple more to follow 2 years later (Bang Bang and Sock It To Me Baby). Have a listen and just TRY to put it out of your head for the next few days...I DARE ya!

I'll be back with some more great platters soon. I've also got a TON of new stuff to record....look for it and SHINDIGGIT!

Requests......

2008-04-08T22:48:00.002-04:00

Well I'm not sure if everyone dug my garage mix (see post below). The downloads on this one have been quite low compared to a lot of my other posts. Maybe it's the size....Anyway, I wanted to try it out and get a feel for what you my readers, want. Maybe I'll try something a little more soulful or Tropical next time....and maybe a little less ambitious...regardless, your feedback would be great. Don't feel you need to be nice, I'm a big boy and can take some criticism...

I found that I get a lot of requests these days. Either people are looking for files whose links have died or their looking for particular songs. Today I thought I'd take care of a couple of those. 2 tracks are/were dead links and you can find them here...enjoy Matt!

Download Count Prince Miller's "Mule Train" Here. Or Listen Below:

Download Clancy Eccles "Feel The Rythm" Here. Or Listen Below:

Now this next track is one I mentioned in passing during my blurb in the mix below. It is the B-Side to "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the Status Quo. Very cool single, although my copy is a little scratchy. I think you'll still enjoy the tune regardless. I swear to god it sounds like Ray Davies singing. Anywho...SHINDIGGIT Barbara!

Download The Status Quo "Gentleman Joes Sidewalk Cafe" Here. Or Listen Below:

Well there you have it for today. I have some more neato singles lined up so don't be a stranger...

Jason X

FTW - FUZZ THE WORLD MIX (84mb)

2008-04-03T21:07:00.007-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE! (63 minutes, 84mb @ 192kbps)

Hi Kiddies. Well I've been away for a bit but thought I'd come back with my first SHINDIGGIT mix!!! I know all the cool kids are doing it, so why not? I have given a previous mix of Funk Diddies to my friend Mike over @ This Is Tomorrow, so "officially" THAT's my first, but never posted ON SHINDIGGIT!
One of the Genres I've posted sporadically over here is 60's Garage Punk. This is a personal fav genre for me as I'd been listening to this stuff since the 80's. I had all the Pebbles compilations and the re-issue of Nuggets (Since sold ALL the Pebbles but kept a Mint white label promo of Nuggets as a kind of prized possession and guilty pleasure all wrapped in one). One of my goals when I started collecting vinyl way back in high school was to collect all the Nuggets singles on 45. Even back then I held the 45rpm above all else. I've gotten most of them but along the way I've come across so much more. Surprisingly there was a LOT of good Garage coming out of Canada back in the 60's. Most bands coming from the Toronto or Montreal areas. My mix includes a bunch of those Canadian singles, some of which you've seen here on the Blog and some you have not. The songs are not ALL rare and they are not ALL fuzz toned. I picked the title because it had a nice ring to it.....however there is a VERY healthy dose of Fuzz, so don't sweat it.

Tracks:

1. Davie Allen & The Arrows - Blues Theme (Capitol T6218) - So this is pretty much one of the three or four songs out there that epitomize the Fuzz years... it ALSO epitomizes the Hells Angels .... not much to say about this one cause if you haven't heard it, you're a hermit.

2. The Ugly Ducklings - She Ain't No Use To Me (Yorktown 45002) - Canadian. This is one of my all time favourite Garage bands. They're from the Toronto area, loud, snotty and well fuzzy...LOL. Seriously, they kick ass. I never could get my hands on their LP but I have all their singles.

3. Bob Seger System - Ramblin Gamblin Man (Capitol 2297) - Okay I LOVE early Bob! I can't help it, the guy was good. I don't know where he went wrong but damn....this is probably the most famous of his early work but it's a stomper. The primal drums and his vocals are fantastic....

4. Strange Bros. Show - Shakey Jakes (Sire SI4120) - This is an odd one. It's also a real stomper. Larry Grogan suspects this to be an incarnation of the Strangeloves which actually makes a lot of sense.

5. Small Faces - Tin Soldier (Immediate IM-062) - This is one of my all time favourite bands. The Blue eyed Soul Steve Marriott was capale of still mesmerizes me to this day. This song is a slow builder that just takes off till the end....a classic!

6. Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men (Pye 835) - Another Brit band that excelled attheir genre. This time its Psychedelic Pop. Not difficult or expensive but a fantastic single from the band that went on to be a 70's English Monolith of rock. The B-side is great as well, sounds like something Ray Davies would sing (Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe)

7. Blues Magoos - She's Coming Home (Mercury 21096) - From The LP Psychedelic Lollipop, this is a fantastic garage tune. The subject matter is pretty potent. Just a fantastic piece of punk.

8. The Rabble - You Come On Too Strong (Transworld TW1675) Canadian. A great slice of Garage from this Montreal Based band. Sadly the Rabble LP was not as good as this particular single.

9. Shadows Of Knight - Shake (Team 520) This band should be more popular than it is. I mean their version of Gloria is in my mind a classic. This track is a great dancer...it's infectious.

10. Human Beinz - Nobody But Me (Capitol 5990) Another great dancer. This has been used in commercials and has enjoyed a long life in compilations throughout the years. This is in MY opinion their best single....

11. Monkees - Valleri (Colgems 66-1019) - Everybody pretty much hated the Monkees but I think that's too harsh. (I'm not your) Stepping Stone is a perfect piece of punk while this song continues in the dancer pattern complete with harmonies AND Fuzztone guitar! YEAH!

12. Del Shannon - Under My Thumb (Liberty 55904 Audition) - So this song doesn't really fit with the others but is inserted as a kind of breather. The Stones version is overplayed and I thought you'd get a kick out of the "Runaway" artist doing HIS faithfull rendition...and when I say faithfull...well, you'll hear it.

13. Balloon Farm - A Question Of Temperature (Laurie L-3405X) This is one of those songs that just pops into my head every couple of months. As far as I know it was their ONLY hit but what a hit....Fuzzy Psych at it's best. Another Nuggets tune, EASY to find.

14. The Barbarians - Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl (Laurie L-3308X) So everyone pictures most Garage Punk guys as shaggy haired leather jacketed ....punks. Actually a lot of these kids were clean cut with suits and pretty smiles in the beginning. This track really emphasizes the changing times when kids DID get shaggy...but even their musical counterparts were shocked apparently...LOL. Great Track!

15. The Fireballs - Groovy Motions (Atco 6569X) - Okay, this band really messed with my head. First off, I could be mistaken and they're 2 totally different groups but the LPs I have by the Fireballs are early 60's instro stuff like the Ventures. They were actually really good! Then I heard this. This is a fantastic little Psych/Pop diddy that actually uses the words, Groovy, Psychedelic and references to expanding your mind. Just what the formula called for in '67 to make a hit. I was just wierded out that the Fireballs had developed a voice....

16. Ugly Ducklings - Just In Case You Wonder (Yorktown 45003) Canadian. Well it's a band so nice I played them twice. Well at least it's a different song right? Again, this is a masterpiece of Garage. I canna say more

17. The Haunted - 1,2,5 (Quality 1814X) Canadian. This band has garnered a lot of respect in the Garage world. There aren't too many people out there who like this genre who haven't heard of the Haunted. Another Montreal Band, this is their first single. I have all their singles but like the Ducklings, cannot find their LP...at least not for anywhere under $300 bones.

18. Leaves - Too Many People (Mira 227) The label is from Detroit so I'm assuming they are from Michigan at least. Very cool band with a good garage feel with a touch of Beatles to keep it approachable I guess.

19. The Critters - It Just Won't Be That Way (Kapp K769) I don't know much about these guys except to say I was pleasantly surprised when I heard them. They kinda sound like the Dave Clark 5 if the Dave Clark 5 didn't suck...LOL. I'm kidding, but like I mentioned with song 18. these guys sound like pops edgier brother...does that make sense?

20. Blues Project - No Time Like The Right Time (Verve Folkways KF-5040) Another Nugets classic. This is a classic band. If you ever get a chance to listen to their albums, you'll be pleased you did. This particular track is a little removed from their more bluesey fare, but then that's what this mix is all about!

21. Electric Prunes - Are You Lovin Me More (Reprise 0564) This is a 45 I bought like 18 years ago. It was my prized posession having the honour as my first find in a thrift store. Back then all I was looking for was Garage/Psych and this is what I found. I held onto it and just pulled it out the other day and realized what a good track it is. The other side is Get Me To The World On Time, also a good side. Very noisy and Psych.

22. Knickerbockers - One Track Mind (Challenge 59326 DJ) So if I mentioned earlier that a certain other band sounded like the Beatles...well when the Beatles needed to take a vacation, I'm surprised these guys didn't step in for them. They just got the formula for Beatles hits and ran with it. "Lies" is their BIG hit and this one is pretty darned close. Again, this has a bit of an edge or raw urgency about it that the Beatles tended to mix down and out of their tracks....

23. The Invictas - Long Tall Shortie (Sahara D-SH-107) These guys drove to their gigs in a freakin' hearse! They're alright in MY books. Known for their regional hit "The Bump" (which happens to be the A-Side of this single), the Invictas are actually still at it today!

24. Music Machine - Talk Talk (Original Sound OS-61) When trying to decide which Music Machine single to put on this mix I actually had to think long and hard. I eventually went with their most famous as sometimes I forget that the really rare stuff is a treat but the common stuff is common because they sold so much. They sold so much because they were good...

25. Woolies - Who Do You Love (Dunhill D-4052) Anyone who's been on the blog recently has probably seen this one posted earlier. I just had to close out this mix with my favourite song....so there it is!!!

Okay, so there we have it. The FIRST SHINDIGGIT mix! Let me know what you think and I'll gauge from your responses whether or not you'd like some more. So stop reading this, download the mix and.......SHINDIGGIT!

Tim Tam & The Turn Ons - Wait A Minute (Palmer 5002)

2008-03-27T23:15:00.006-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

So, do you ever have one of those weeks where you barely have time to step back and take a deep breath, sniff that springtime air, shovel a bit more snow....etc....Ya well that's been my last 2 weeks. It's sad because I had gotten so many cool singles ready and everytime I thought I could plunk myself down in front of my computer, I ended up falling asleep first or some other necessary job (like Laundry) gets in the way.
ANYWAY, I'm here to offer you another great slice of Detroit sound circa 1965. This next song is really hard to describe. I mean it actually crosses a few genres and is terribly difficult to pin down. I know this track is known to be 60's garage rock, but as a fellow collector, who happened to attend Wigan Casino in it's heyday told me (Cheers Kev!), they played this track there. Now he also mentioned that the purists called this (and I quote) "that white shit" but after a listen I think it deserves a little more credit. My friend and I came up with a better category...Dirty Doo-wop. It starts as one would think a late 50's band like Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers or The 4 Seasons but soon after the drums hit....then the piano then guitar and the next thing you know you're on an all out joyride down some musical highway with no speed limits.....okay I'm done with the explanation, you can stop wretching now. I managed to dig up a little dirt on the band but felt it better to offer this link so you can read for yourself. There is an interesting bit of info on that site regarding Bob Seger...yes there is a tiny connection. So have a listen and know that I'll be back really soon with another post.
Don't just sit there....SHINDIGGIT!!!

A.M. Stragglers - Soul Bandit (Little Giant L.1)

2008-03-10T22:28:00.006-04:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hello Kiddies, I'm back with some more of the music you (and I) love. To satisfy my vinyl illness (and it is a bit of an illness I keep at bay) I attended a record show in the fair city of Hamilton this Sunday passed. It was almost a no go, as we'd JUST ended a brutal storm that dumped another 40-50cm of snow on my front lawn. It's been a very snowy winter up here. HOWEVER! That wasn't going to stop me, I grabbed my record bag and toddled off through the drifts to find my buried treasures. It was a good thing I did. I came away with about 50 singles! Anybody have a cheap battery operated turntable out there for sale? I could have easily knocked that pile down to 25 or so if I had a listen first...oh well...grand total for the day? $55, 25 or so great records out of that pile? PRICELESS....well not really, but it was a pretty good haul! I've already shindigitized most of them and they will be post fodder in upcoming weeks...look for'em...

Okay, so on to todays post. Sometimes you get one of those records which just grabs you by the face and smacks you back into your chair. The A-side of this track is like that for me. Imagine Soul Finger by the Bar-Kays thrown into a blender with Champ by the Mohawks.....Soul Bandit is THAT bastard child. This horns & organ infused floorsmasher is basically one of the funnest singles I own. The B-Side is a little slower, going for a bluesier vibe, however is still horns & organ drenched and pretty damned classic in it's own right.

The odd thing about this single is that I can find nothing...let me repeat...NOTHING, not even a passing mention as to whom this band was or any info on this single. I'm no soul detective, but I figure it's a studio band like the Mohawks. The label smacks of Britishness and oddly the catalogue number is L.1. Maybe this was a one off single? Any way it goes, I would LOVE to hear if anyone has any info on this band AND the single itself...Little Giant has been a record label in many guises over the years but I think this is a private label and not directly connected to any of the others I've seen.

Okay I've said enough...LISTEN to these tunes and SHINDIGGIT!

The Seeds - Can't Seem To Make You Mine (GNP Crescendo 354)

2008-03-04T22:44:00.007-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hello Friends,

As some of you may know, I have to send a big shoutout to Mike (DJ Blueprint) from "This Is Tomorrow" for posting my first ever Blog Mix. He had asked if I wanted to contribute to his ever popular series of Guest mixes about a month ago and after a bit of thought I said yes. I hadn't given much thought (prior to this) to online mixes but as I did one, it got really addictive. I now have a couple more coming up which will get better as I get the feel for this. As far as Podcasts/guest Mixes go, I'm in the company of Giants! I've been collecting for years but some of the stuff I see on the other blogs (conveniently listed to the left over there), I only hope I do the music proud. Check out Mikes Blog sometime, He always seems to have some tasty treats, I certainly SHINDIGGIT!

Okay, moving on to today, I thought I'd change it up again. I have a tendency to go off on a tangent for a while and neglect other equally stimulating genres. Lately I've been listening to some mixes I created a while back which are mainly 60's garage bands. While this single is definately NOT rare, it's a classic. Sky's voice is priceless, I can't even explain it. If you're a fan of Nuggets style Garage Punk, you'll already know this track. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then go press play while you read this. The track itself is NOT a heavy one, but actually quite beautiful in it's punky, off-key way....you just can't help but love it....or hate it. I'm the former. Well, I could spend the next 10 minutes writing about it or you can just press play already! SHINDIGGIT!!!!!

Lou Courtney 2fer! (Transworld 1666)

2008-02-27T20:32:00.009-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (or press play to listen below!)

Welcome back Boils and Ghouls. I've been relaxing over the last week into my piles of vinyl. I decided that I had way too much extra stuff that really doesn't have a place in my ever expanding collection. See, like any record collector, sometimes you find yourself in a position to purchase "other" genre rarities at a great price...and if you're anything like me, you buy it. I mean I'm ALWAYS looking for trade bait for the shows and whatnot. However, I finally decided to trim the collection a bit and post a bunch o wax on GEMM.com. Don't think you'll find a lot of Funk Soul etc on there unless I get doubles. This is strictly to rid myself of vinyl I don't want in my collection.

Yes I'm using the name SHINDIGGIT to post and I'll make sure I post a link on the left as soon as I get it where I want it......then you can go find that rare Scottish folktunes LP you've been looking for.
ANYWAY, Todays selection is a Lou Courtney single on the Canadian TransWorld label. This label released a LOT of hip sounds on it ranging from Lou to the Haunted (an AMAZING garage band from Montreal). This is Lou's ever popular "Skate Now" (which was a huge hit at the Twisted Wheel I read somewheres). Released in 1966, this is a very hip single. If you're not dancing or tapping your feet by the second verse...well, you get my point. The B-side is a treat...it's funky. Not what I expected as a flip. It's heavy...just the way I like it. I'm not gonna hold you back any longer...git listenin' and SHINDIGGIT!

The Woolies - Who Do You Love (Dunhill 4052)

2008-02-17T12:38:00.006-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (or press play below to listen)

It's Sunday and as I sit looking out my window, longing for the snow to disappear, my thoughts drift back to those heady days back in the late 80's when I was part of the last gasp (so to speak) of the 60's counter-culture. I mean, since the 60's there had been several revivals of the music and overall lifestyle. None went as far as the 80's. Between 1978 and 1990 there were always Mods, Skins and 60's Punks around the Toronto area. I guess it was bands like Madonna and Flock of Seagulls, or maybe it was neon shoelaces and Choose Life t-shirts, but someone had to rebel. I got hooked, somewhere in 1988 (Grade 10) and never looked back. Apart from your typical tree-huggin' hippy which signifies the 60's in most media, there were tremendous spurts of musical talent and styles. I had listened to all the British Invasion stuff, moved on to the soul and MOD tunes of the early to mid 60's and then a wonderful thing happened, someone lent me an LP titled "Pebbles" (I forget which number). What I heard there blew my mind! I had never thought another type of music could touch my soul the way...well...soul music could. The fuzzy guitars, the snotty frontmen spewing out lyrics with a sort of venom. No wonder they called this Garage Punk. I had a copy of Nuggets which was another turning point in my life, but definately on the more commercial side. It just didn't compare to this...well what else do you call it? PUNK!....okay okay, so I've since shaved off my "Brian Jones" locks and couldn't fit inside the H.I.S. hip huggers anymore if I tried, but the music...yeah, the music follows me through my life. But enough of my sunday flashbacks....todays slice of vitriol is by a band called the Woolies. They were legends in Michigan. This selection is their big hit from 1966 which actually got picked up for national distribution due to its tremendous chart success in Michigan. The info I've been able to find on this band has pretty much been rehashed over and over and over so I won't go into it here, however, the lead guitarist Jeff Baldori's page with discography is located HERE if you want further info on this band. This song really does need to be played LOUD to really SHINDIGGIT!

Jackie Ross - Dynamite Lovin' (CHESS 1929)

2008-02-11T19:25:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (or Press Play below to Listen!)

Welcome back Kiddies. Today I have another brilliant Northern soul Stomper! Another thrift store find, this slab cost me another whopping $0.50. As I mentioned in the last post, I've yet to get myself acquainted with a good portable turntable so I rely on my knowledge of the labels, a little common sense and sometimes a giant leap of faith....That being said, it's hard to complain about the duds when you're only paying a buck or two per single. Every nugget more than makes up for it. Sometimes you get something completely unexpected. The other day I was digging through a pile of singles and found a Stax 7" by a band called the Southwest F.O.B. Now, being on Stax, you'd expect some good Memphis Soul, or at least something funky, but no. All I heard was a pop/psyche band. It was crazy...who would have thought that Stax would release something this far from center? Anyway, I digress. I don't know much about this darling with the sweet voice except she started singing at the young age of 3 and released an album in 1964 titled "Full Bloom". This track was released in 1965 shortly before she left the label. If you don't start tapping your feet to this song, you better check that they're still there. Dynamite Lovin' is a Dynamite Song...Play it loud and SHINDIGGIT!

September Jones - I'm Coming Home (Kapp K 802)

2008-02-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE! (or click Play below to listen!)

Well here we are again. As I mentioned in my last post I had neglected a lot of other genres you're probably used to seeing here on SHINDIGGIT. I hope you enjoyed that fantastic (IMHO) Pama LP I posted for you. I really wanted to continue the trend in switching it up and playing genres OTHER than soul/funk, however....As I was perusing the masses of Barry Maninlow and Englebert Humperdink singles that always seem to make it to my local thrift shop en masse, I happened across a single that sounded interesting. September Jones. Now THAT sounded like a winner. I could picture the single right there, but was is soul? Was it funky? My spidey senses were tingling so I forked over the whole 99 cents to try it out. Yes, I'm still trying to find a Fisher Price record player to bring along, but they are harder to come by than 3 dollar bills in these parts....Anyway, I get home and slap this slab on the platter and crank it. As soon as it started I broke out into gooseflesh....Northern! This could quite simply be the best find for me in at least a couple years (The Lyn Tait single comes really really close!). I immediately went to the computer to check up on this glorious piece of Northern Soul and have found absolutely NOTHING about her or her career. John Manship in the UK has a re-issued copy for sale but other than that, the only thing I have heard is that this particular track was a huge floorfiller in the Northern scene around 1998 (across the pond of course!).
Well I'm not going to talk about it anymore. I want you to experience this single and see if it gives you the same tingles it gave me the first time I heard it....SHINDIGGIT!

Bang Bang Lulu - PAMA (PMLP4)

2008-01-20T23:08:00.000-05:00

Download "I Come - Lloyd Terrel" (or click below to listen!)

Download the FULL "Bang Bang Lulu LP"!

Howdy Kids,
Well it's been a month since my last post (x-mas, new years and all that fun stuff) and I'm back. I thought it would be a treat to upload a full LP this time to start 2008 off right. I've been ripping singles left right and center to build up a great inventory of digital goodness for the year ahead. One element of my blog has always been early roots reggae and I find I've been remiss in including any here for a long long time. Well that may be the next reason for this post as well. It's not that I'm not diggin' this stuff anymore, it's that, well....I've just been stuck in a rut of other genres which had up until now been occupying my playlists. Today I'm presenting you one of my favourite LPs. Bang Bang Lulu is a compilation from 1968 put out by the ever elusive PAMA label (Do the Mohawks ring a bell?). As a matter of fact, this album's catalogue number is PMLP4, whereas the incredibly hard to find Mohawks is PMLP5. This is on the Orange/Red cover/label version which I believe (in my hunt for answers) was released at the same time as the Black and Blue covers, although the black covers seem to be more common (10:1). Anyway, I believe the comp was put together by Lloyd Terrel (correct me if I'm wrong) and features some very recognizable names for this genre. Eric 'Monty' Morris is here as well as Lynn Tait and the Jets. Lynn Tait's incredible single "Out on a Funky Trip/Steppin' Up on Randy's" was posted by me a few months back. I'm posting a link to download the whole album and one song so you get a flavour before commiting to the whole 85mb download. Warning, this LP is chock full of innuendo and sexy lyrics. Sit back with your favourite rude girl and take in the titilating tunes of Bang Bang Lulu....most of all SHINDIGGIT!

Joe Cuba Sextet - Psychedelic Baby (TICO 510 DJ)

2007-12-19T14:23:00.001-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (or click below to listen!)

Hello Strangers....Yes I've been away FAR too long for my liking as well! Well, today I am going to make all that hurt go away with 3 songs instead of my usual 1. ACTUALLY, I'm going to go 1 better by posting FOUR songs today....The fourth is that Arthur Prysock extra track I recorded off the album "Where The Soul Trees Grow". Just scroll down to the posting below and you'll see it ready for listening (or download). I've been spending too much of my free time digging and not enough sharing. I need to sit down one day and actually commit some of these slabs to my digital repository...I think you'll like them.
Moving right along, My first post today is The Joe Cuba Sextet - Psychedelic Baby DJ copy. Now, I've never seen a regular copy of this single (oes anyone know if they exist?) but it did appear on the Mexican LP "My Man Speedy". Joe was was possibly the first Latin musician to bring the english language into their music. He also pioneered the way for the late 60's Latin Boogaloo craze. This track is pretty addictive. It's not too fast but has a great groove. Plus it's on Tico. I've not heard much I didn't like on Tico if you were looking for quality Latin music. So go download and SHINDIGGIT!

Billy Sha-Rae - Do It (HourGlass HG-007)

2007-12-19T14:05:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (or click blow to listen!)

This is from a digging expedition that I explain a bit in the Winston's post below. I liked the label, He had an interesting name and I especially like short titled songs...DO IT, falls nicely into that category. I'm afraid I have nothing I can tell you about this fellow except to say that He's from Detroit. This label is based out of New York (apparently the Detroit label for this single was Spectrum...correct me if I'm wrong). This a rough and tumble funky soul track probbly dating late 60's MAYBE early 70's. If anyone has any more info, I'd love to hear it. In the meantime, download and SHINDIGGIT!

The Winstons - Amen, Brother (Metromedia MMS-117)

2007-12-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

***UPDATED*** (I Found a better copy!)

DOWNLOAD IT HERE! or Click Below to Listen!

DOWNLOAD THE BREAK (or click below to listen!)

So here we have it folks. I've not seen this posted at all (although I'm sure Larry Grogan has done it at SOME point!). I was digging through a cellar of one of my favourite shops in Toronto (Yes, they let me dig through their immense piles everytime I make the trip) and Lo and Behold, I found a copy of a track I've been searching for for years. Now, as I may have mentioned before, I can easily get this on GEMM or one of the other music websites. However, I've always been a digger and so I may wait years for singles to pop up that I can otherwise get in 3 clicks of a mouse button.....really, where is the fun in that?
This track is known to most Funk/Soul enthusiasts as well as pretty much the world of HipHop, Jungle AND Drum n Bass. Amen Brother on it's own is a great little instrumental number. The fact that MOST people want this track is for the 6 seconds stuffed into the middle. This has come to be known as the Amen Break. You might have heard it in , oh I don't know, 95% of the Hip Hop tracks made in the 80's and even up to today. This is the most sampled track ever known. Sure JB has a lot of samples, even Lyn Collins may be more instantaneously recognizable, but this break basically founded a whole musical genre, possibly more.
The Winstons themselves were a backup band for the Impressions in the 60's and when this single came out (The A-side was "Colour Him Father") it hit the Billboard Hot 100 at #7. They're not a household name like some artists from the same period but they definately left their mark. Imagine, your whole lifes work summed up by a 6 second drum break.....whatever, I'd take it.
I've listed both the break AND the song above. The song has some noise at the beginning and clears up before the break. SHINDIGGIT!

Arthur Prysock - (I Wanna Go) Where The Soul Trees Grow (KING KS1066)

2007-11-14T21:11:00.003-05:00

DOWNLOAD HERE......(or Click Below to listen!)

DOWNLOAD "FEVER" HERE or press play below to listen!

Hello again and welcome to another installment of SHINDIGGITness. I've been out digging and searching for more musical crack to satisfy my insatiable vinyl needs and seem to have lost focus on this dear little blog of mine. For that, I apologize. Now let me introduce you to Mr. Arthur Prysock. With his sad demise in 1997, Arthur had a huge recording history already firmly tucked into his belt. His most notable hits were in the 40's and 50's with a surprise hit in 1977 the disco ditty "When Love is New". This soul nugget came a few years earlier in 1970 and while I say soul, there is a STRONG gospel vibe and a VERY VERY VERY funky bass line. All in all, mixed with his Lou Rawls silky smooth baritone, this song has everything I've ever wanted in a song. It is a favourite of mine and while not a raunchy funk extravaganza nor a northern floorshaker, I think you may agree that although he was pushing 40 when this was recorded, the man was good. As a special treat I decided to post another track from this LP....but DIVshare was giving me serious problems this evening. Come back later this week and I'll add it to the post. If you dug this track, I'm sure you'll dig the other one I was planning. Enjoy!

Late Posting Threefer......

2007-10-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, have I been busy...er...That's rhetorical. I HAVE been busy. So as a way of saying thanks for your patience, I'm posting three tunes for your listening pleasure. Hopefully it's worth the wait for you. Read on Reader!

The Ugly Ducklings - Just In Case You Wonder

DOWNLOAD HERE (or click below to listen!)

I'm currently having issues with Blogger, so bear with me on the non uniform post...I'll pretty it up as soon as they get their act together. So I was digging around in my crates and lo and behold, I come across this garage nugget from my personal favourite Canadian garage punk band "The Ugly Ducklings". You may remember their first 2 singles posted last year sometime here on SHINDIGGIT. As part of the "Yorkville" scene in Toronto, they gained favour from the likes of the Rolling Stones where Mick stated that the Ducks were his favourite Canadian band. Ironically, this was in 1968 and the Ugly Ducklings had already disbanded. Nice. Anywho, this is their 3rd single from 1966. Like the first two, it's on the YORKTOWN label which predated the popular YORKVILLE label. It's got a great sound and I wonder how this DIDN'T become an instant Garage Classic! Check it out! SHINDIGGIT!

The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band - Spreadin' Honey

DOWNLOAD HERE (or click below to Listen!)

The Watts 103rd is well known for it's classic "Express Yourself" with the always stunning Charles Wright in 1971. This single is an A-Side of....well....an earlier B-side. Originally released in '67 as the B-side to "Grits N Cornbread" on the MoSoul label, it was released in the same year as an A-side on the elusive Keymen label. Well that's what I have for you today. It's a total MOD instrumental and I think it's irrisistable. This band was solid! I just picked up their 2LP set "Doin' What Comes Naturally" (1973) the other day and was amazed at just how solid they stayed over a course of 6 years....I guess when you got it, you got it...Now go SHINDIGGIT!

The Electric Indian - Broad Street

DOWNLOAD HERE (or click below to listen!)

The Electric Indian was a studio band created in '68-'69. They had...you guessed it....a fairly distinct Indian flavour to their music and made a splash with the hit "Keem-O-Sabe" in 1969 to which THIS track is the B-side (you KNOW I love my B-sides!). I also love Go Go music. I mean it would be right scary for me to go go dance....but the mind drifts to '60's scene gals gogoing their stuff to music quite like this. So I say, if you can't GOGO, then SHINDIGGIT!

I'll be changing the page so it doesn't list ALL my posts on one page, but keep in mind that even though you can't see them, there will be a TON of tune-age for you to DL on the other pages...DIG IN!

Jason X

The Fantastic Johnny C - Look What Love Can Make You Do (PHIL-LA-Of Soul 305)

2007-09-30T22:54:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE (OR Press Play Below To Hear !)

Welcome to my last post of September. I've been hard at work tromping through dusty crates and boxes to add more slivers of vinyl to my ever increasing collection. This means good things for you my visitors because I've managed to unearth some very cool stuff. What I haven't had time for is creating digital files from those old slabs. Luckily I still have a small arsenal of things I've picked up in the last year so as not to let the well run dry. This next track is one of those. Mr. Fantastic Johnny C (real name Johnny Corley) is best known for his Northern hit "Don't Depend On Me" which I haven't obtained a copy of as yet. This track is the B side to his Top 100 single from 1967 "Boogaloo Down Broadway". Amazingly this song sounds almost identical musically as the A side. For some reason I feel the need to expose the lesser know B-sides of singles I aquire. I actually had a couple emails from friends who owned the Manu single (posted below) but had never played the B-side. They were wonderfully surprised when they found out that they owned that great nugget themselves! Hey, if I can make even a TINY difference here in the Blogisphere, I feel pretty good.
Have a listen to this track and let me know what you think. SHINDIGGIT!

Betty Everett - Take Me (UNI 55100)

2007-09-17T07:56:00.001-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE (OR Press Play Below To Listen!)

Welcome back! I'm coming off a bad weekend where I got almost nothing done and skipped a chance to go record digging just from sheer laziness. I think my body is just plain worn out.....ah well, I start another work week today and I thought I'd start it off with a bang!
The following song is a B-Side to Betty's song "There'll Come A Time". Now to be honest, I'm not a great fan of the A-Side but I thought I'd give it a try. Anything by a woman who can put out a track like "It's Getting Mighty Crowded" must be worthy right? Well as soon as I put it on, I was disappointed. It just wasn't what I'd hoped, that is until I turned it over and nearly fell on the floor when it started to play. HOLY CRAP! I mean, how did this side become a B-Side and not an A-Side????? This song is quick, funky and it's like a freight train till it's done. Betty Everett had done it again! Check this out, the single shouldn't be expensive as the A-side reached #26 in '69 and I'm not sure this has been picked up by a lot of funk collectors....Let me know what you think! Well, I'm off to work! Hi Ho Hi Ho..........

JJ Barnes - Baby Please Come Back Home (Transworld TW-1676)

2007-09-11T21:57:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE (OR Press Play Below to Listen!)

Hello Again! I've mentioned in a few previous posts the interesting difference in labels from country to country. I mean, who would think that Canada/USA would have such different distribution setups?! I see these Canadian shadow labels everywhere. Years ago, a lot of collectors would shun the Canadian copies for the US issues because they figured they were later pressings in different countries. While that MAY be true for some titles, the vast majority of US (and even most UK) singles released in Canada were simultaneous. This means that regardless of the label, they were released at the same time. Now an interesting tidbit here...the ratio of US pressings to Canadian pressings on average (considering population) would be approx. 10 to 1. That means that for every 10 copies of todays selection on Groovesville (the US label) there is 1 of them existing on Transworld.
I think that the Canadian market of vinyl needs more research. A lot of our pressings were superior quality (Capitol 6000 series Beatles anyone?) and a lot of rare and interesting variations to our US and UK counterparts. I even have a Carl Perkins debut album on LONDON (The sleeve still says SUN) with an ALTERNATE cover!!! For those of you not in the know, Carl (Blue Suede Shoes) Perkins was one of the founding fathers of Rockabilly and as such, his first album is guided at between $700 & $1200 for a US copy...nobody seems to know about my copy....Hmmm....well it's not for sale anyway...

Moving on, sort of....Here is JJ Barnes classic "Baby Please Come Back Home" on the aforementioned Transworld. This was by far Mr. Barnes best known single, and rightly so, it's friggin' amazing. It reached #9 on the R&B charts way back in 1967. Give'er a spin, if you like Northern Soul, this'll keep you dancin'. Please don't mind the crackle, I've yet to find a cleaner copy...........Enjoy!

Tyrone Davis - Turn Back the Hands of Time (ATCO DK 616)

2007-09-05T22:34:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Howdy Folks! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I spent the weekend having a yard sale that really didn't make enough money to call it a success. I'm funny that way. I took my total earnings and divided it by the hours I was out hocking my crap and pretty much ended up making $4/h. My fiance pointed out that at least we got some cash for the junk and can now put it towards some home renovations....she's so "Glass Half Full"!
Anyway, how do you like the new embedded features? I realize that Divshare can be slow at times but I'm fnding that NO free site will offer me 'round the clock mega bandwidth...Besides, I think the features are worth the occasional slowdowns. What do you guys think?
Today I felt like putting up one of my all time fav soul tunes. I mean I still get goode bumps when I hear this song. It's a midtempo dancer and it's ALWAYS in rotation when I do a set. I have songs with more heat, I haves songs with more mellow but this song is juuuuuust right! This single was originally released on the Dakar label back in 1970. As mentioned in a recent post, this is the Canadian version as Dakar as a label had no distribution up here. Atco was parent company to many a fine soul label back in the 60's / 70's. Tyrone had a long mostly successful career that ended in 2005 with his death from complications with a stroke. By and far he is remembered for this particular track and while I like to play B-sides and rarer tunes, this is a soul staple. If you've never heard it before I hope it'll make an impression.

BTW: I decided to Abolish the chat client on here since no-one used it...good idea? Jason X

Strange Bros. Show - Shakey Jakes (SIRE 4120)

2007-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE! (OR click play below to hear it)

Wow! 2 postings in less than a week...I must be careful or else someone might think I'm back! Todays selection is in heavy rotation...in my head mostly! Another recent Flea Market find. It's amazing what pops up in those dingy old boxes. I'll be honest, I had no idea who these guys were (still don't) but the label looked cool, it's a promo and I'm thinking this could be the fledgling Sire that grew up to release all those alternative 80's bands....but really, I just haven't done the research!!!!
So when I threw this tune on the platter I was immediately transfixed. The hard booming bass line and horns make it memorable while the vocals are pure garage gold! Okay, ya I said garage. This is a song that really trancends two genres for me. You by now know I love my Garage AND Soul....this tune is a bit of both and a stomper as well! I fervently encourage you to play this very LOUD!
Again, I have no idea about this band...any info would be greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Manu Dibango - Lily (LONDON 2546)

2007-08-26T22:23:00.000-04:00

Download Here! (OR click PLAY below to listen)

Welcome to my little piece of the Interweb. I'm afraid I've been spending more time listening to my new finds than actually uploading them for you guys. That being said, I have recorded a CRAPLOAD of singles in preparation for SHINDIGGIT. One might find it interesting looking at the labels of some of the singles I post. I live in Canada and since the 50's, Canada has released singles from independent companies in the US with larger companies within our country. Companies like COMPO or QUALITY had distrobution rights for a lot of the little companies in the US. his is why you may see a RIC-TIC recording on REO from Canada. These are called shadow labels and are usually released at the same time up here making them first CANADIAN issue. I try to post the Canadian labels as much as possible even though I seek out the US pressings as well. It's just as rare for me to find the O'keh label as it is for most of you to find the same artist on Atco or REO as mention above. Anyway, that was just something nibbling on my mind that I needed to get out.

Todays selection is a track from the mighty Manu Dibango. Generally thought of as the first disco record, his legendry Soul Makossa (released in 1972) is still a regular on most soul/funk DJ's playlist. This single is actually the B Side. I ALWAYS check the B-Sides to singles as you never know what you're going to find. I actually have to say that I like this single better than Soul Makossa (Sacrilege you say?!). It sounds a bit more Cuban to me and I just love when it picks up about a minute into the song. I really really really love this song and felt the need to share. I hope you enjoy it!

Lyn Taitt - Out On A Funky Trip/Steppin' Up (Randy's

2007-08-05T19:20:00.000-04:00

Side A: OUT ON A FUNKY TRIP

Side B: STEPPIN' UP

As promised, I'm back! Even though I haven't been blogging lately, I've still been out digging every chance I get. Today's selection is something I found a couple days ago which literally blew my mind! I had spent hours in a shop I frequent every couple of months and was about to leave empty handed when I thought to ask if She had any old reggae 45's. Apparently she had just sold a collection and had one box she forgot about still sitting in the back. I went through a crazy amount of Dancehall stuff (NOT my bag baby!) and believe it or not, I pulled THIS out of the stack for $4.00! Sometimes it pays to be patient! Naturally upon returning home and throwing it on the platter I realized that this was something special. In fact, BOTH sides are remarkable. I have posted them both for you to download! I tried some research on this fellow and while I came up with OODLES of SKA era info on this legend, there is next to nothing about this era of his music! Mr. Taitt now lives in Toronto according to a bit I read online, however, that's from 2004 so it's hard to say if this is still the case. He is also noted as he person who just may have invented the slowed down ska sound we like to call Rocksteady.....good for him! I guess I should tell you now that this is neither Ska nor Rocksteady. These 2 tracks are PURE FUNK! Freeking funk from a Trinidadian musician who helped pioneer early Jamaican music and is now practically living in my backyard! I hope you find it as irresistable as I have! PLAY IT LOUD!

For more info on Lyn's earlier career, check out this page. It's quite informative!

By the way, I am trying out a new File Sharing program. Please let me know how it works for you. I want to wait a week before I go crazy repairing all the old links, but managed to do the last few posts, so make sure you keep in touch!

Jason X

Hey Kids!

2007-07-30T23:11:00.001-04:00

Okay so I am planning a big upgrade to this site in the near (very near) future. Most of my links have died out due to a sucky file share site....so while I'll try to make those links go live again, I've got a butt load of new finds to up. Since this summer has been hell at work, you may have noticed I haven't been around much...Duh! That's going to change but I'll probably be making a weekly post instead of several a week. It's not that I'm running out of material (God knows I've been digging like a hound under a fence) but this will help me retain my commitment here in the Blogiverse AND allow me to live in the real world as well....I've got nothing for you today but the news that SHINDIGGIT will be back to normal real soon. I hope that makes some of you happier....if not...well there are a lot of other blogs to do just that...and I think a lot of them have more time on their hands than I do these days.
Happy Blogging! I'll see you real soon! Jason X

A Few New Singles

2007-05-15T18:18:00.000-04:00

Howdy Folks!
Well I got my new system up and running so I thought I'd celebrate by posting a few new singles! I've picked up some good stuff lately (In My Humble Opinion anyway) however I still need to get them recorded and scanned Bla Bla Bla Bla, but here a few nuggets that I've had rocking recently. Hope you enjoy!

Download it here! (Press Play Below to Listen!)

The first is Stevie Wonder's wonderful Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" I'll be honest with you guys, Stevie never really did it for me. I mean I really hate "SUPERSTITION". It's a great song I guess but it's so overplayed it overshadows his other work, a lot of which I think is superior to Superstition even if it's not usually to my taste. This single was taken from the album "Signed Sealed And Delivered" which was released in 1970. It's got some fairly standard harmonica playing (which can grate on me sometimes in other songs) but a great beat and so a great rendition of the original.

Download it Here! (Press Play below to listen!)

The second single today is one I found a couple years back in a garage sale. Oddly, it's a Jamaican pressing of a Shirley Bassey single doing yet another cover. This one is the Doors song "Light My Fire". Okay, so let me tell you (and I hope I'm not offending but,) I hate the Doors. Wait, scratch that, I hate Jim Morrison. The rest of the Doors had a cool vibe. THIS rendition of Light My Fire is FANTASTIC! Since finding this single I feel like I actually picked up the roots of Trip Hop. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't this sound like something put out by Portishead? Hmmm...seriously, check it out, let me know what you think!

Download it Here! (Press Play below to listen!)

Finally, I thought I'd post a Double Feature. If you search the earlier posts in this blog you will find a couple Bob Seger singles from the early 60's. Keeping that same vibe, I have another single (done a few years later) in which both the A and B sides are equally fascinating. Why do I say fascinating? Because I cannot believe that the guy who did "Old Time Rock n Roll" actually made brilliant music before he ended up sucking huge! Wow, am I opinionated today or what? These tunes are Vietnam war protest songs drowning in fuzztone guitars and drenched in Bob's distinctive (in the 60's anyway) yowl. Released on Capitol it's pretty good garage stuff for a major label. What do you think? Enjoy!

SHINDIGGIT is still Shimmyin'.......BARELY!

2007-04-25T20:57:00.000-04:00

Howdy Hep Cats,
Okay, so unfortunately I have had the misfortune of 2 PC meltdowns this year. I guess this is the problem with frankensteining old computer systems together to do my bidding. About a month ago it happened again and as a result I have lost all my recordings on that computer. Oh, they're still there, but without a functioning computer, quite inaccessible. But enough of my misfortune. This weekend, I should have this problem solved with a new faster more robust system to satisfy my needs. This of course will help you as well as I'll be able to post more music. I've been out hunting for singles in my downtime. Those of you into the garage side of things will enjoy a few of the singles I've found, while the soulies out there will enjoy the rest.....Since this is my first post in almost a month, I thought I'd be longwinded, so bare with me please. It seems as though 95% of my posts are still downloadable thanks to you guys. Even though I cannot post new music right now, you're still enjoying the previous posts. Send me some email, comment on the posts, let me know what you think. Is the quality good enough for you? Keep in mind that I've never paid more than $15 Canadian for a single in my life. This is the standard I've kept to keep the digging exciting for me. Sure I see a TON of singles online that I could purchase with the click of a button, however, finding that great soul tune sitting at the bottom of a dusty stack of 45's for $1.00 gets my blood pumping. Purchasing the same single for $30 online......not so much. Recently I found 2 singles that I play over and over again, I can't get enough of them and they were 50 cents each...JJ Jackson's "But It's Alright" and one I've actually been looking for for a long time: Tyrone Davis' "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (Which I'll be posting as soon as I get my computer back up!). I know these aren't the $1000000000 northern soul rarities, but then I'd be real lucky to find them for a $1 right? As it stands, I find, doing it this way makes me enjoy these tunes even more. But then, that's just how I like to collect singles. I'd love to hear some collecting stories from you guys. What's your preferred method? Okay, I've warbled on long enough. I'll be back shortly to post, but until then, enjoy any of my previous posts or visit some of my friends in my links section, but most of all "Keep The Faith!"

Lavern Baker - Tiny Tim (Atlantic 2041)

2007-03-26T08:03:00.000-04:00

Download It Here! (Press Play below to listen!)

Hi Folks! Yes I'm taking my time blogging new material lately. Sorry about that. I don't forget, I just seldom have the time to sit down at the computer these days. With my new job, I'm finding it hard to do a lot of things until I hit the groove. Hopefully I'll be posting more frequently in the next few weeks. I've actually hit a few record shows and shops recently so there is some fresh stuff waiting in the wings (as soon as I manage to scan the discs!) Todays selection is Lavern Baker's Tiny Tim. Lavern (who's real name is believed to be Delores Williams) was known for earlier hit's like Soul On Fire and Play it Fair but I really dig the sound of this single. Hopefully you do too! ENJOY!

U Roy (Jackpot) - Bob Crewe Generation (Dynovoice 229)

2007-03-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Hello Folks! Sorry about the month long absence. I've been keeping my nose in my work in order to get a new promotion. What with the new house and all, a nice new job would be perfect! Well the wait is over and I've gotten that position! Woo Hoo! I realize that this essentially doesn't mean didly to most of you reaing this, but it puts me in my happy place and leaves me with better time to dig for nuggets (yes, I'm talking about records, not picking my nose). Anywho, I decided to post 2 today as it's all my fault there haven't been any in a month so let's move on shall we? The first is U Roy, sometimes known as Ewart Beckford (related to Theo?) and various forms of U and Roy with and without hyphens.....This track I have selected is one of my favourites. Released in 1972 during the height of the DUB craze, I think it speaks a lot about this mans talents as a toaster and DJ. The other side is "King Tubby's L'ficially", there is no catalog number and this single was made in Jamaica.

DOWNLOAD it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

The next selection was a groovy little lounge instro I picked up the other day. For some reason I can't get this tune out of my head. I can see it as the theme song for a bad TV game show or comedy in the sixties. Still the hooks are there, so I think you should have a look see. Bob Crewe wrote songs for the Four Seasons and discovered Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels. His own music was catchy and in 1967 with his own orchestra (The Bob Crewe Generation) released "Music To Watch Girls By" on his own Dynovoice label. This is the B-Side to that very successful single. Useless Trivia: The song "Music To Watch Girls By" is based on a Pepsi commercial jingle "Girl Watchers Theme" ENJOY!

Al Wilson - The Snake (Soul City 767)

2007-01-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD it Here! (OR Press Play Below to Listen!)

Wow! What a week. I'm just glad it's over. In fact, I'll be heading into the "Big Smoke" later today to dig for some more singles. Nothing like some new wax to make the nightmares of the work week fade away. I was recently listening to a comp of "Northern" soul classics on my MP3 player (Yes I have an MP3 player with 98% ripped from vinyl tracks on it...Talk about ironic in this digital age hmmm?) Anyway, I heard todays selection for the first time in a while and thought this would be fun to post. Al Wilson wasn't a MAJOR name back in the 60's, but, in 1968 he scored REAL big with "Do What You Gotta Do" and this track "The Snake". Now if any of you have been to a scooter rally, MOD dance, Soul clan or anything that is even LOOSELY related to the English "Northern Soul" scene, this track is a MONSTER! I guess I'm just being nostalgic, but I thought I'd share one of my favorite tunes from my past...the thing is, even with all the tunes I've been exposed to, it still stands up today! Enjoy!

Clancy Eccles - Feel The Rythm - New Beat

2007-01-16T22:20:00.002-05:00

DOWNLOAD it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Hello once again! I noticed my counter has reached over the 20,000 mark! Woohoo! I thank you guys for making me feel like SOMEONE care for the same types of music as myself. I have recently stuck to the soul and funk side of things and felt that this time around I'd treat you to some of that great Island roots sound I dig so much. I've picked up a few new Jamaican singles recently and wanted to share....so here we go! Clancy Eccles was a very popular man in the 60's & 70's in Jamaica . As well as being a political activist, he was a singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, show promoter, talent scout and tailor. Not bad. Although I've never seen any of his Tailor work, his music is fantastic. This track launched from his own "New Beat" label is one of my favourites. Along with himself, he helped further the careers of other greats like Eric "Monty" Morris and Lee Perry (Clancy helped Lee found Upsetter records). This tune immediately imbeds itself in your brain and you'll find yourself humming along to it days after you've first heard it....or at least I did.....LOL! Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD it Here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

The second selection today is the Maytals "6th & 7th Books" on Coxsone. Pretty much everyone who knows ANYTHING about the Ska scene back in Jamaica know about the Maytals (Later to become known as Toots & The Maytals). So I won't go into too much detail. This is an early Maytals recording ( I believe 1963) and a few years prior to them hooking up with Leslie Kong who was a Chinese Jamaican Producer. An interesting story is that I now work with the niece of Leslie Kong here in Ontario. She still can't get over how this white boy knows so much about the ska (she makes sure I say it "skeeya"). To top it all off, Her Mother used to own a record shop down in Kingston where these crazy cats like Toots Hibberts, Desmond Dekker, Eric Morris et al would come down with their records they just cut and help them affix the labels before they sold them. It really blows my mind hearing the stories. Some are simply heartwrenching...I actually made a cd for her mother of all the original singles I own and she always asks her daughter how that "white boy who likes that old music" is doing (she even made me some Jamaican cake this christmas!!!). Okay I'm on a rant....so download and enjoy!

Lou Rawls - Season Of The Witch / For What It's Worth

2007-01-04T19:19:00.001-05:00

DOWNLOAD here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Happy New Year Folks! I've been off having a great holiday season and forgetting the interweeb even exists....until now that is. Everything has been "Steady As She Goes" up until the untimely passing of the Godfather of Soul. Wow, what a mindblast. The man, in my mind, was eternal and it really makes you think when someone as important as JB passes. I was reading some blogs about the great man and one that sticks particularly in my mind is Larry Grogan's piece on his Funky 16 Corners. That pretty much sums it up. I decided not to follow everyone's path and post a glut of JB material. I'm sure you can find enough of it out there (I posted JB's Fat Eddie a few weeks ago. Check it out below!) Instead I chose the silky smooth and sometimes funky sounds of another great man...Lou Rawls. Speaking of Funky 16 Corners, I noticed Mr Grogan had posted the first selection a long while back, so for some of you this may be old news. However, I don't buy off the net as I prefer the elbows deep in dusty stacks of vinyl approach. This means I may not get all the cool singles right away....but they come.....eventually they all show up one way or another. Season of the Witch was originally penned and recorded by Donovan Leitch (of Hurdy Gurdy Man fame) and that single has always been a favorite of mine. You can imagine my excitement on finding THIS version by Mr. Rawls. It definately has a groove. The second selection was released on the Feelin' Good LP. I'm not sure if there was a single released for this track. It's another cover, this time, of the Buffalo Springfield anthem For What It's Worth. As a kid of the 70's I can clearly remember Kermit the Frog's nephew singing this song on the Muppet Show Ha Ha Ha. This version of the song is similar in style to Season of the Witch, though that may have to do with both productions being headed up by none other than David Axelrod....definately a man in the know. Anyway, try out both tunes and crank them up! Enjoy!

Check Check, Is this thing ON?

2006-12-20T09:27:00.000-05:00

I need some feedback. Have you been able to get the songs you want from my blog? For those of you who return often, have you experienced a lot of downtime? I am asking this because I really dread moving my posts to another server. I just want to see how happy my readers are so I can judge whether or not to move. So if you feel like helpin' a fella out, or just wanna say Hi, send me a comment or email. Thanks Jason X

AAAARGH! Best Sharing is OFF and ON!

2006-12-17T23:03:00.000-05:00

Okay Folks, I thought I had a good thing going with Best Sharing, however they seem to be offline too often, and they do not reply to my numerous requests for info as to when they will be back up and running. I will therefor be looking for a new site to share my songs. Still, give the posts a shot, you may get lucky and catch them actually working! I apologize profusely and am not looking forward to uploading all my music again to a different server.....give me a couple days to sort things out (If anyone has suggestions, please let me know!). I promise SHINDIGGIT will be back to normal soon. I hope everyone is having a great X-mas season!

Cheers
Jason X

Betty Wright - Sweet Lovin' Daddy (ATCO 4569X)

2006-12-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Apparently "Best Sharing" was having yet MORE server problems but it looks like it's all cleared up now. They provide you with free downloads with no wait times, so even if they go down every once in a while, it's still better than Rapidshare. Anyway, today I present the B side of Betty Wright's first single. The actual release was "Girls Can't Do What Guys Can Do" but I actually prefer the flavour of side two "Sweet Lovin' Daddy". Betty is best known for her big hit "Clean-Up Woman" from 1971 but I thought I'd show you what she was doing back in '68. Download it and listen, I think you'll enjoy it.

Bobby Byrd - Keep On Doin What You're Doin (Brownstone 4205)

2006-12-13T08:01:00.000-05:00

Download it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

I was out shopping in the T-Dot 2 weeks ago as I mentioned in an earlier post and picked up some great singles for a couple bucks a piece. This was among them. I like pretty much anything I hear by Bobby Byrd and this is no exception. It's just a funky funky tune. You really can't go wrong with anyone connected to the great JB and Bobby Byrd is one of the best. When James joined Bobby's band the Avons back in the mid 50's they changed their name to the Flames, then the much more popular FAMOUS flames. Bobby has always been right there beside JB. In turn, James has always been there to support Bobby as well. Produced by JB, this single was released in 1971 and is an example of some of his solo funk initiatives. While "I know you got soul" and "Hot Pants" are the staples, have a listen to this track. Talented Fellow. Factoid: Bobby was married to Funk Diva Viki Anderson! Download and ENJOY!

Rare Earth - Hum Along And Dance (Rare Earth R5054F)

2006-12-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD it here! (OR Press Play below to listen!)

Hi Folks! In case you haven't read my last post, ALL links have been brought back to life with only a few exceptions (These are clearly marked) So go and enjoy while you can, I will NOT be filling in dead links like this again! As for todays selection, This is a track I've found myself listening to a lot lately. I love Funk & Soul music but there is nothing wrong with good ole Rock n Roll either. Rare Earth is a band that encapsulated the best of both worlds. Widely thought of as the ONLY white band to be signed to Motown, they were actually the only SUCCESSFUL white band to sign to the label. Right from the start they had a great hit with Get Ready, and followed it up with fantastic singles such as Born to wander, Big Brother, I just want to celebrate and many more. The track I'm posting today was originally released on the Temptations Psychedelic Shack LP in 1970. This version is definately more aggressive with more Rock n Roll guitars but that same infectious groove. Give it a listen, actually give Rare Earth a listen if you get a chance, they are a very under-rated band. By the way, this song was also released by the Jackson 5 in 1973....popular tune! ENJOY!

NOTE: Due to BestSharing telling me their servers are full for now I had to go with another download service for the time being....just a heads up! Jason X

Found'em!

2006-12-04T09:56:00.000-05:00

Howdy Folks, who says Mondays are ALWAYS bad?! I was rummaging through some boxes in the basement and Lo & Behold there was a case of CD's I had missed. In that case was all my back-up recordings from Shindiggit! Starting today I will be fixing most of the dead links for your convenience. Starting from the most current, I will be working my way backwards. I may not revamp ALL the previous posts but most of them. Download the hell out of them because I don't want to have to do this again so soon! Ha Ha. While you're at it, let me know what you think. Leave me some feedback or just say hello! Well enjoy the fixed links!
Jason X

James Brown - Fat Eddie (KING KS 1038)

2006-12-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

GRAB IT HERE!

I'm back with another great tune. If you're not into the moog synthesizer like the posting below (C'mon, it's a theme song to a 70's kids show!) then sink your teeth into this offering. I'm not going to go into the history of Little Willie John as I believe the web has enough info already. However, after LWJ died in 1968, James Brown put out a tribute album to his label mate. This was December of 1968 (38 Years ago.....crazy!). I'll be honest, the A side is not too interesting. The songs are more in line with James earlier ballady type stuff. However when I flipped the disc over, What a TREAT! Side B offers up 6 tasty instrumentals for your listening pleasure! My personal fav and the selection for todays post is "Fat Eddie" This is a song indicative of where the band was heading in the next few years. Right from the start till the end, it's 2:33 of musical pleasure. With an absolutely KILLER bassline and even a drumbreak...it's a must download! ENJOY!

March Of The Martians - Harry Breuer (Pickwick SPC-3160)

2006-12-01T10:04:00.000-05:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Okay, so I actually mentioned this track in an earlier post. I do have a soft spot for the moog synthesizer and this is one of the best. This whole album is chock full of Moogy goodness but it's the one song "March of the Martians" that really makes me smile. This is the theme song to one of my favourite childhood shows. Back in 1971 (just before I was born) there was a TV show made right here in Hamilton Ontario called the Hilarious House Of Frightenstein. Actor Billy Van and a very small cast made a kids show about the 13th son of Dracula and his fiendish friends. It's campy, it's kooky, it's colourful and it has Vincent Price in it! What could be better. Anyway, it's back in re-runs yet AGAIN! Okay enough jabbering, download the themesong and enjoy! OOGA BOOGA!

Gloria Jones - Heartbeat Pt 1 (Capitol 72301)

2006-12-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Here is an amazing little slice of wax I picked up earlier this week. I was digging through a stack of singles downtown Toronto when I found this and a couple other goodies (which you'll see soon enough). Much to my suprise, the shop owner was only looking for $2 a single and so has instilled faith in me that digging is still profitable in the Big Smoke (Toronto). Now, this track I believe is her third single and was released in 1966. Gloria is well known for that northern anthem "Tainted Love". It's fast, loud and heavy on the bass. All in all a VERY strong record. Interestingly, I read that Gloria herself was dating Marc Bolan of T.Rex fame and was the driver of the Austin Mini that crashed and killed him. Sad. A note about this single, it is Canadian and the fact that it is on a Capitol swirl is pretty cool. It apparently does not appear on this label anywhere else in the world! Of course if anybody knows differently, by all means let me know! Well, I've talked enough, Download the track and ENJOY!

*NOTE: Although no one has mailed me yet say what a crappy recording this is, I must tell you that it's a super clean single, except (and there's always an except) a small manufacturing flaw that ruined the grooves early on in the song. The only way to play it through without skipping was to track really lightly. That being said, it causes it to distort a bit because the bass on this song is so freakin strong! Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm sure you like the song anyways, right? Am I right? Jason X

Here We Go Again!

2006-11-30T00:37:00.000-05:00

I promised you I'd get SOMETHING up this week and so I have. Now those of you who followed me over from my old blog would recognize the Charles Chalmers and the Treasure Isle track, however, the Knickerbockers is new. I have yet to set up my scanner so the 20 or so new tracks I just recorded today won't be ready till I get some pics. I AM working on it but I thought I'd hook you up with some good music to start with. I am using that new File Sharing site BestSharing to upload my tracks. It is free to download from and no time limit like Rapidshare. Let me know how you like it!

See You Soon!

Jason X

Knickerbockers - Lies (APEX 76989)

2006-11-30T00:20:00.000-05:00

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The Knickerbockers were formed in New Jersey back in 1964. They were pretty well known for imitating the popular bands of the time and THIS track takes the cake. The lead vocals on this tune sound just like John Lennon and could easily be mistaken for a Beatles track. The song probably would have been a very popular Beatles track and it was a BIG hit for the Knickerbockers in early '66. APEX is a Canadian shadow label and it had other great garage bands on it's roster as well. Not much more to tell you about these guys other than they faded away into obscurity within a year or so after this hit. The band members have currently been working on re-issue cd's with Sundazed. Enjoy!

Combo with Harold Richardson - Nice Girl Ska (Tower Isle)

2006-11-30T00:08:00.000-05:00

GRAB IT HERE FIRST!

I had the chance to go through a record shop before it even opened about a year ago if I helped them sort out their albums. There were over 50,000 albums and honestly I pulled maybe 4 albums out of the whole mass for my own collection. One of them was this interesting piece. From what I could find, this album was released by the Tower Isle hotel in Jamaica as a kind of sampler for tourists to take home as a souvenir of their visit showcasing the different types of Island sounds. While the majority is Mento and Calypso, it did contain this one track which is a very early (and simple) type of ska. Apparently Harold Richardson and his combo played IN the hotel so people were able to buy the album reminding them of the acts they saw there. The album itself came in a plain sleeve with just a sticker telling you what was inside. No sleeve design at all. Enjoy!

*NOTE: I was just listening to the new Jurassic Five album Feedback and had this funny feeling I'd heard this one song before. I finally figured it out. The song is called "Brown Girl" and I've uploaded it so you can hear the similarities. I'm assuming this song is a traditional effort as it would probably be really really really really coincidental that they found this album track as well....LOL
GRAB IT HERE!

**NOTE: Upon further research and a great lead to a Mento website (thanks Joe) it does indeed look like a rendition of another song called "Brown Skin Girl". That being said, it's very likely that the Jurassics have heard this song from a wide variety of sources.

Charles Chalmers - Poppin' (Chess CS 2040)

2006-11-29T23:46:00.000-05:00

GRAB IT HERE!

The first time I heard the tune I wasn't all that impressed. It's an instrumental and to be honest I must have been in one of my garage punk moods or something because upon further spins, this simple and catchy soul tune is definately worth the listen. Charles Chalmers was a tenor sax guy and from what I could see, he played as a session man with a lot of the bigwigs in the Chess stable. I'm not sure how many singles he had but this one is a mid-tempo dancer. The lead-out on this song does suffer from some noise...but give it a listen anyways......Enjoy!

UPDATE!!

2006-11-26T21:26:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go right? Well I won't bore you with the rest of the details, however the one pertinent to this blog is a doozy. I was going through my backup discs of all my recordings in order to start fixing the dead links and to my horror I could not and still cannot find the backup disk for SHINDIGGIT!!! This means that I will not be able to fix all the links like I expected. That being said I believe the best way to go forward at this point is to ask you which of these posts I should repost. I'm not going to slave over the turntable to repost tracks nobody wants. Sound Fair? So email me directly or leave a message on my blog. Either way I will try to get to it as soon as possible.
I HAVE decided that Rapidshare sucks. I have decided to try a new service called Best Sharing. This is a free service and you can download as many files from SHINDIGGIT as you want without that crappy timer. Again this is a new idea and I'd love feedback as to how it's working out. I should be up and ready for my first new post in a few days. Be sure to come back and see what I have for your listening pleasure. Until then...enjoy the songs that ARE still active. ;)

Jason X

I'm Still Alive BUT...........

2006-10-10T10:12:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,

Sorry I haven't posted anything lately. I've recently just bought a new house with my Fiance AND received a new (and better) position at work, however, the real kicker (over and above all the packing and learning) is the fact I've been sick as a dog for over 2 weeks now.....add it all up and you get........NO POSTS.
I am truly sorry folks but I do promise to come back full time as soon as I get moved in. I'm projecting that'll be around the first week of November. I'll make sure I reactivate the links for you guys and I do have some fun stuff to post as soon as it comes out of the boxes!

Thanks for your patience!

Jason X

The The Moving Sidewalks - 99th Floor (WAND WND 1156)

2006-09-13T19:13:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Howdy folks! I was going through some of my singles and thought this would be a good garage romp. The Moving Sidewalks are fairly well known in the Psyche/Garage scene and for you Trivial Persuit fans out there; The band was founded by Billy Gibbons. Sound familiar? You may remember him from a fairly popular band called ZZ Top!!! Apparently The Moving Sidewalks had a couple of hits singles (This one hit #1 in Houston for 6 weeks in 1967!), merged with another band (American Blues) in 1969 and changed their name to ZZ Top. It's pretty typical fare for the time but since there is a historical factor concerning ZZ Top, I thought I'd share it with you.
ENJOY!

Rod Hunter - Soul Makossa (Decca ND 850)

2006-09-06T22:52:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

So I've always had a thing for early electronic music. The Moog was an interesting take on adding an electronic element to your song and until they went space wild with the Moog, it really did sound cool. Guys like Jean-Jacques Perry (E.V.A. and the Happy Moog) really knew how to make a groove with these things. The Happy Moog coincidentally has the March of the Martians on it which was the theme song to one of my favourite childhood shows The Hilarious House of Frightenstein...but I digress.....I found this album (Rod Hunter) last weekend at a thrift shop and had to buy it. I love Soul Makossa and this is an interesting take on the classic....actually considering this was done in 1974...that kinda makes it a classic as well right? Not everyones taste but let me know what you think...and if anyone has a copy of E.V.A. lying around, I'm still looking for it.... Enjoy!

***UPDATE!***

I've been getting requests lately to re-up some of the dead links on my blog. I've started doing that tonight and will try to keep them updated from now on. Feel free to message me if a link you want is down. I don't mind re-posting it. Unfortunately I use rapidshare because I'm not rich enough to pay for my own server space, so if you're patient, there is a lot of good stuff in the archives here at SHINDIGGIT!

The Small Faces - Tin Soldier (Immediate IM-062 MONO)

2006-08-28T23:45:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Well on my first official post in 3 months I thought I'd post a tune that means a lot to me. It's not terribly rare and you can find it on any Small Faces comp but I consider this tune to be one of my favourite songs of all time. I had mentioned in an earlier post that I spent a number of years in the Mod scene during the late 80's. The Small Faces were THE mod band for our scene and I always felt I connected with Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane on some level....maybe it was the drugs...hmmm...I don't know. However the band remains today in my top 10 list and Marriotts flavour of blue-eyed soul has never been duplicated in my humble opinion. This track is post-mod era (1967), but the build up is fantastic.........check it out!

I'm Ba-Ack!

2006-08-28T02:24:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys (and Gals),
Okay, so after a very long break from this here blogger thing, I've returned. I had a bunch of problems with my computer and decided I'd take a much needed break. I feel refreshed and hopefully I'l have some goodies for your listening pleasure posted in the next day or so. Just to keep you in the loop, my Fiance and I are currently looking for Our first home, so this may cause future interruptions with posts. I apologize in advance.
I've been reading through the mail and posts I've received over the past months and I thank you all for your kind words. I even heard from the lead singer of the Invictas (which I will post about soon). I'll try to add links to everyones blogs as well......phew, I guess I have a lot of work to do. Well again, it's good to be back and as always, post your comment or give me an email, I love to hear the feedback!

Jason X

Prince Buster and his Allstars. 'Ishan Version' & 'Young Gifted & Black' (Dynamic Matrix)

2006-06-02T11:03:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!
SIDE A or SIDE B

I'm going to plead to those of you who are savvy in the ways of Jamaican singles. Who is this? I've been trying to find out for over a year now. I've mentioned in previous posts that every year my Fiance and I go to Niagara Falls to the annual "Book Riot" which is put on by the local Womens Shelter. It's a great fundraiser and we get a chance to buy lots and lots of books for our library (yes, I collect books too!). Every year they also have records but the majority of the time I'm flipping through James Last and bad bad gospel stuff. This time however, I managed to find this great single sitting all by itself in a dusty little box. While it had no label identifying it, the matrix gave it away as a Dynamic recording (though I STILL can't find an artist online!). I was pleasantly surprised when i got home and plopped it on the platter. Side A was an instrumental while Side B was a Dub Version (though not of the same song) BOTH were killer tracks!Now I know the Soundsystem guys in Jamaica used to take the labels off their singles or paste over them so the competition couldn't figure out who the artist was but the quality of this recording leads me to believe it may be a demo copy. If anyone out there can help me with this, I'd appreciate it a bunch! ENJOY!

UPDATE!

Thanks for the emails with info on this single. It's CONFIRMED! The single is Prince Buster and his Allstars. 'Ishan Version' & 'Young Gifted & Black'

Count Prince Miller - Mule Train (Jaguar J-05)

2006-06-02T10:45:00.001-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Mule Train is not a single heard on every skinhead reggae compilation. Personally I think it should be right up there with Skinhead Moonstomp. It's infectious and rough. With Count Prince Miller barking his cowboy sounds, it really is kinda strange. Regardless, if you haven't heard this single....get on it. This is a Jamaican pressing. Enjoy!

The Barbarians - Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl? (Laurie L-3308)

2006-05-29T20:06:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Sorry for the delay in posting. Work has been brutal recently (I guess I'm being punished for taking the long weekend off last week). So to apologize, I've posted 3 tunes today. All are Garage tunes from '65 - '66 and are drenched in Fuzz and attitude! Thanks for all your comments guys, I'm still getting them and honestly, you guys have been too kind. I'll try to keep it up as long as you keep visiting!
So this tune is by the Barbarians. Formed in 1964 in Cape Cod Massachusetts, they were led by Victor "Moulty" Moulton....a one armed drummer! Now before you get all Def Leppard on me, this guy made some good music! Check out his autobiographical "Moulty" (I believe it's on the Pebbles comp...) The lyrics to "Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl" are humorous but show that not all people were digging the British Invasion in the 60's. The US had a burdgeoning garage scene that in no way resembled the mop top 4-some from Liverpool. Apparently enough people agreed as this burst on to the charts in '65 and hit #55. It stayed on the charts for 6 weeks. No fuzz in this tune but definately some attitude......Enjoy!

The Haunted - I Can Only Give You Everything (Quality 1840X)

2006-05-29T19:52:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

So I posted the Haunted's first single below and kinda said what I wanted to in the post below about the band. I guess the only thing I can add is that originally they called themselves The Blue Jays and were an instrumental band. I suppose the Haunted is much more "garage" than the Blue Jays (kinda makes me think of four guys with crew cuts warbling Sh'boom Sh'boom). This single is an amazing follow up to 1 2 5. Bigg ass fuzz guitars and attitude! It was also released in '66 and has been covered many many times....all have been good covers too.....anyways, enjoy it!

The Haunted - 1 2 5 (Quality 1814X)

2006-05-29T19:26:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

I feel I need to go back to my roots of collecting. Whilst thumbing through a bunch of old garage singles I stumbled upon (yet again) a couple of my favourite Canadian singles. I've already posted The Rabble's "You come on too strong" and while that single did well, the general consensus is that the band was not terribly memorable. Not so The Haunted. This Montreal band (Chateugay to be more precise, but they are recognized as a Montreal band) crashed into the airwaves with 1 2 5 in '66. The music is vaguely reminescent of the Stones and early Kinks....just a lot snottier (I love that term). I would say that listening to them today, their sound paved the way for a lot of garage bands in the coming decades, noteably the Gruesomes and Cynics who hail from.....you guessed it...Montreal. Anyways, I found it kind of funny that on the initial run of singles for 1 2 5, they misspelled the Haunted as "The Hunted" (see label scan). Listen and Love It! I do.

2 Stroke Smokified! I'm BACK!

2006-05-25T01:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm back from another successful Niagara Scooter rally! I behaved myself this year (ie. No waking up on a picnic table with a tarp over me!) I did manage to hit a record show in Toronto before the Rally and I found some really good Blog Fodder. The Ska/Reggae crowd will like these ones! My friend managed to introduce The Boo Boo Song by King Coleman (Thanks Larry!) whilst DJing a set at the rally and it was a monster!
Thanks for all the emails. Man, I'm suprised at how little you guys want to post comments on the blog but the emails you sent let me know what's what. For instance, I will not be posting anymore Commodores singles (although I just liked that extended version). I'm sure I'll manage to post some other nonsense to some (just keep in mind that there are other people out there who dig it....just not the Commodores...lol). Anyways, I've blabbered enough, below is the newest post...I hope you enjoy it!

The Delegates - Pygmy Part 1 (Aura 88120)

2006-05-25T00:26:00.002-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

I posted this one on my old blog back in February but since I used a 7 day DL site and well....it was on my OLD site, I thought I'd repost it here. I must say, I get a lot more traffic here at SHINDIGGIT so I hope this tickles your fancy. The track in question is the Delegate's Pygmy Part 1. This is an organ driven piece that almost falls into the lounge category had it not the ability to groove in a serious way! I realize this has been comped a few times but I found this here promo copy in a large collection I bought a few years back. I've had a lot of trouble finding out the story behind the Delegates...were they a studio only band? If you know anything about them, let me know.....What I can tell you is that you need to sit back and get your groove on with this tasty treat! Enjoy!

How is SHINDIGGIT doing?

2006-05-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've posted up 2 singles for this weekend. I will be off to the Niagara Scooter Rally for beer, bikes (love that 2-stroke smoke!) and general hooliganism (not to mention some good tunes). I thought this would be a perfect time to see what you guys all thought of the site. I always look to comments posted on here to see what I can do to make the site better. Are you guys digging the tracks? Do you want to see more of a certain type of music? Just feel free to send in your comments and crticisms so I can make SHINDIGGIT a better place. Of course, if you think that it's already awesome and you've never been to a better BLOG in your whole life..JUST DO NOTHING.....no comments mean you think it ROCKS! (Ha Ha Ha that was added just to make me feel better that not many people actually post comments!)

The Commodores - Brick House Special Disco Version (Motown M-30000-D1)

2006-05-19T14:45:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

So I haven't posted any 12" singles on here and I probably won't be very often but this one flew over my radar and I thought it would be fun. This is the Special Disco Version of the Commodores hit "Brick House" released in 1977. Firstly I have to say, I love this song. I know it's somewhat overplayed but that's because it IS such a good song. Next I just love the presentation. Since 12" singles were just starting to come around in the 70's, this is an early one. The vinyl itself is very thick and the sound is fantastic! It came with a company sleeve stating it was a "Special Disco Version" I'm not sure if this was part of a series of releases by Motown in the latter part of the 70's or not (anyone else know?), anyways, if you've never heard this song before (like if you lived under a rock for the last 30 years) or if you've never heard the extended version, grab it. If you're of the mind that it ain't cool unless the singles valued over $200, grab it anyways, just to remember that the popular stuff was pretty cool too! Enjoy!

The Invictas - Long Tall Shortie (Sahara 107)

2006-05-19T14:26:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Sorry for the delayed posting guys, I just haven't been able to get near my computer for the last week. I have the Victoria Day Weekend off so now I can post a song or two. I will be heading out to the Niagara Scooter Rally tomorrow so will not be posting again till possibly Monday. Enjoy the track, I'll see you soon.
The Invictas were a band from Rochester NY (not too far from where I am across the border). They were a garage band who hit the charts with The Hump (which happens to be the A-Side to this track) I decided to post the B-side because I actually like it better. I like the ol'rockabilly too and as an homage to the original this track works. It's loud and clear. Apparently when The Hump came out, it was banned in some cities due to it's "lewd" nature. Whatever, I suppose it was just good publicity for them. They claim that in their home state, the single sold more than the Beatles and the Stones...hmmmm...I wonder. Again this is the B-side and personally I think it rocks. So download it and Turn It Up! Enjoy!

House Of Commons - Funky Fuddle Duddle (GRT 1233-04)

2006-05-11T23:10:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Howdy Folks! I had a few singles waiting in line to be posted over the next few days but had to push them aside for this new track. I was at a book fair today. It happens every year and it's something I look forward to. As well as a lot of books (I spent a small fortune on them as well) they carry records. Most people aren't there for vinyl so I had a lot to go through. Every year I find one nugget in the stack and this year was no different. Sitting in a pile of Jim Croce and Cat Stevens singles was the selection I'm posting today. Of course I tried to find out more about this band but nobody knows a thing. The most I could uncover was that this band (I'm presuming from Ottawa) made the A Side of this single (Do The Fuddle Duddle) as a jab against Pierre Trudeau (Our then Prime Minister). It's really a novelty single which didn't garner too many sales (or I'd see a ton of these singles floating around). The B Side is FANTASTIC! It's an instrumental with just the right amount of organ and a BIG saxomaphone solo through the latter part of the song. If it hasn't already been discovered for open break beats, it should be. If anyone else has more info on this band and single, let me know. As it stands, this goes to show that there were some pretty funky Canadians struttin it up in our igloos in the 70's. Listen and ENJOY!!!

Red Shepard & The Flock - She's A Grabber (Phillips 40398)

2006-05-10T19:19:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

Okay I honestly have no idea who these guys are. The single was in a collection I purchased a few years ago with the picture sleeve. I've seen it online for about $30 - $40 with sleeve but no info on the band. It's a "Gloria" style garage tune but the vocalist goes a little crazy with the howling and screaming. Fun toon, but not terribly original (other than the madman howling). If you haven't heard this before, well....She's A Grabber! (sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady (Atlantic AT.2838)

2006-05-09T01:00:00.000-04:00

GRAB IT HERE!

This is my absolute favourite from the Original Lady of Soul: Aretha Franklin. It's a funky little tune cooked up and released on Young Gifted & Black back in 1972. The single, however, states 1971. I am assuming it was released previous to the Lp. It's not expensive to buy from a dealer but let me tell you how my collecting works. Since I don't purchase Lps or singles on the net (well, not many) I rely on finding them locally. I realize this isn't that big a deal in a world where finding singles is as easy as clicking a button (and sometimes paying a fortune for the convenience), however, I get more excitement out of doing it the old (re: Harder but usually cheaper) way. Digging through bins of dusty and sometimes moldy old records. That being said, everytime I've picked up an Aretha single over the last couple of years I've hoped that the A Side is Rock Steady. For some reason I always pick up Aretha singles B-side first (wierd!). Last week I was at a thrift shop which usually has nothing. I decided to give it a shot as I really had nothing to do that day. Lo and behold, there was a pile of singles staring me in the face. I quickly got to work devouring the stack and FINALLY! I had the experience I was looking for....there it was.....Rock Steady. Well that's 1 more down & too many to count to go! The hunt continues.... As a side note, that thrift shop ALSO had an almost new record bag sitting right next to the 45's for $2. I guess it was my lucky day! Enjoy!

3+2+5=Total Soul - Compilation (Audio Encores AE1-1005)

2006-05-05T08:37:00.000-04:00

No Longer Available - Sorry

This compilation came out in 1980 and featured some of the 60's most popular soul artists. The twist? They all re-recorded their hit singles between 1977 - 1979. The record itself is a CBS version of a half speed master (although they never actually call it that) The gatefold cover reveals a whole wack of technical info on the making of this record and the vinyl itself is 128g virgin vinyl. So I am only posting 2 songs from this album. The first is Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up. The first time I heard this album's version I was not bowled over. It sounded too clean, too ...... new. Nowadays I like it a lot more. The song still has the same vitality of the original. Fontella Bass' Rescue Me is the same. Amazing vocals that don't stray too far from the original but with a cleaner sound. For those of you in the know...it's a lot like listening to the 70's version of Tainted Love by Gloria Jones over the original 60's version. Try these out and let me know what you think. Enjoy!