BILLY LAND, "Four Wheels" c/w "Shimmy Shake," Warner Brothers 5083 (rel. 7/1959)
Here's one of many excellent new additions to the ever-growing collection. I can't pass up regional rock 'n' roll singles--especially when they have Joe South's name on 'em. His musical fiefdom of Atlanta, Georgia kept the spirit of rock 'n' roll alive during a brief recess. His productions for local labels NRC, Esco and others resulted in a torrent of exciting sides that held promise for the survival of this still-new musical form.
Billy Land was a member of Joe South's backup band; he played bass and sang secondary vocals. South must have seen a potential star in this kid, and made two singles on Esco with him in 1959 and '60. The first one was picked up by Warner Brothers Records, a new-ish imprint eager to get into the teen music market. Their early catalog is a mess of MOR mainstream pop with the occasional rocker, such as Johnny Carroll's magnificent "Bandstand Doll;" in 1960 they'd acquire The Everly Brothers, who gave the label more credibility and attracted other name artists.
This raw double-shot of regional r 'n' r sounds nothing like WB's other releases of the day. Not a bad thing! "Four Wheels" is a mid-tempo heartbreak-on-the-go song with one of Joe South's distinctive melodies: folky with a touch of Southern soul. Land's defiant voice sells this saga of a lovelorn lad who's on the move away from the scene of the (romantic) crime. The more distance he makes, the better; his journey has to lead to a better place.
A raw atmosphere makes this mood-piece sing. This is the lead track on Bear Family's Warner Brothers volume of their rockabilly CD series That'll Flat Get It! Here it is via a battered-but-sturdy white-label promo copy of the '59 vinyl.
Billy Land was a member of Joe South's backup band; he played bass and sang secondary vocals. South must have seen a potential star in this kid, and made two singles on Esco with him in 1959 and '60. The first one was picked up by Warner Brothers Records, a new-ish imprint eager to get into the teen music market. Their early catalog is a mess of MOR mainstream pop with the occasional rocker, such as Johnny Carroll's magnificent "Bandstand Doll;" in 1960 they'd acquire The Everly Brothers, who gave the label more credibility and attracted other name artists.
This raw double-shot of regional r 'n' r sounds nothing like WB's other releases of the day. Not a bad thing! "Four Wheels" is a mid-tempo heartbreak-on-the-go song with one of Joe South's distinctive melodies: folky with a touch of Southern soul. Land's defiant voice sells this saga of a lovelorn lad who's on the move away from the scene of the (romantic) crime. The more distance he makes, the better; his journey has to lead to a better place.
A raw atmosphere makes this mood-piece sing. This is the lead track on Bear Family's Warner Brothers volume of their rockabilly CD series That'll Flat Get It! Here it is via a battered-but-sturdy white-label promo copy of the '59 vinyl.
Cash Box gave this sucker the thumbs-up for its initial regional issue on Atlanta-based Esco Records. They ignored the Warner Brothers release, for reasons unknown.
"Shimmy Shake" is even better. The pace remains relaxed, but this throwaway rocker delivers the atmospheric, sorta-menacing goods. Lead guitarist Chip Young and whomever pounded the drums give their all on this riveting mover that sounds more like a viable A-side to these weathered ears. The vocal chorus; the acres of extra reverb--this is a li'l killer that outlasts the automotive drama of its flipside and is a sweet specimen of the regional rocker.
Such records kept the flame burning as the music industry went through its "Bobby" phase and attempted to reshape teen music as an efficient, modern vehicle controlled by its producers and arrangers. Some fab records came out of this approach (Phil Spector's oeuvre) but most of it sounds dull today. Not enough "Shimmy Shake" to go 'round until the Beatle Blitz of '64 brought new currency to rock's founding sound.
Such records kept the flame burning as the music industry went through its "Bobby" phase and attempted to reshape teen music as an efficient, modern vehicle controlled by its producers and arrangers. Some fab records came out of this approach (Phil Spector's oeuvre) but most of it sounds dull today. Not enough "Shimmy Shake" to go 'round until the Beatle Blitz of '64 brought new currency to rock's founding sound.
Billy Land had a second single on Esco in 1960; Warner Brothers didn't pick it up. One assumes he continued with Joe South in some capacity, but he made no more solo recordings. And that's all we got for your Monday pleasure!
Tomorrow: Robin Luke returns with another of his made-in-Hawaii bedroom rockers, with hot guitar and island vocal group The Jolly Drifters on a single as atmospheric and inventive as 1958 pop-rock could get! A real favorite 'round these parts...
"Four Wheels" suffers from not having a rocking interlude. All bone and no meat—such a terse song. Love "Shimmy Shake"—and its obvious riff on Chan Romero's Australian hit from earlier in 1959 "Hippy Hippy Shake." The surf rock guitar sound is bubbling up in these two songs—anticipating the surfing fun sounds of groups like Dick Dale, Jan and Dean, Hondells, Surfaris, et al...and, oh yeah, she'll have fun, fun, fun 'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away.
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