The Strikes, "If You Can't Rock Me" c/w "Baby I'm Sorry," Imperial X5433 (rel. 3/1957)
A few years ago, we played you the second single by Texas rockabilly band The Strikes. Here's their debut disc, which got an immediate A-side cover version by young Ricky Nelson on his debut LP for Imperial Records. That performance was reissued in 1963, by which time Nelson (now Rick) had changed labels to Decca Records.
That's neither here nor there. These guys were college students in Graham, TX who attended North Texas State College in Denton. They wrote their own material and played and sung with skill and zeal. They began as a drumless trio featuring the harmony vocals of Willie Jacobs, Kenneth Scott and Paul Kunz. With the addition of drummer Walter Parson, stand-up bassist Don Alexander and top-class lead guitarist Albert Cornelius, they had a fervent rockabilly sound. The campus was a hotbed of rock 'n' roll talent; Roy Orbison, Dick Penner and Wade Moore were classmates.
The band first recorded as backup for solo singer Andy Starr. The group penned four originals for this session, which was recorded at Lin Records' studio and leased to M-G-M. Those singles are big-ticket collector's items. The session went so well The Strikes were granted two sessions all their own in late 1956 and early '57.
Nothing much came of their two singles when they were new, but they'd later be championed by European rockabilly fans, much to their surprise, as this youthful episode had perhaps faded from their daily thoughts.
Rockabilly, at its hottest, was prone to much copycatting. Soundalike melodies from Elvis Presley hits such as "That's All Right" and "Heartbreak Hotel" recur on many regional recordings. To hear original-sounding, solid material as these two tracks is refreshing.
"If You Can't Rock Me" is one of the true classics of its genre. A torrid beat, hearty harmonies, slap bass, primitive drums and silvery acoustic guitar strumming get this taunting song off to a jet-propelled start. It's a 12-bar blues souped up and overhauled for Generation Elvis, but done with TLC in every department. Their group vocals are precise, in sync and in tune. These lads practiced and got their songs just right.
We often play garage bands from the 1960s on Fridays. Here's a 1950s garage band--local talent beholden to no one but themselves and doing A-OK on their own terms. Imperial Records picked this up after a regional release on the Lin label, but couldn't get it on the pop charts, for whatever reason(s).
That's neither here nor there. These guys were college students in Graham, TX who attended North Texas State College in Denton. They wrote their own material and played and sung with skill and zeal. They began as a drumless trio featuring the harmony vocals of Willie Jacobs, Kenneth Scott and Paul Kunz. With the addition of drummer Walter Parson, stand-up bassist Don Alexander and top-class lead guitarist Albert Cornelius, they had a fervent rockabilly sound. The campus was a hotbed of rock 'n' roll talent; Roy Orbison, Dick Penner and Wade Moore were classmates.
The band first recorded as backup for solo singer Andy Starr. The group penned four originals for this session, which was recorded at Lin Records' studio and leased to M-G-M. Those singles are big-ticket collector's items. The session went so well The Strikes were granted two sessions all their own in late 1956 and early '57.
Nothing much came of their two singles when they were new, but they'd later be championed by European rockabilly fans, much to their surprise, as this youthful episode had perhaps faded from their daily thoughts.
Rockabilly, at its hottest, was prone to much copycatting. Soundalike melodies from Elvis Presley hits such as "That's All Right" and "Heartbreak Hotel" recur on many regional recordings. To hear original-sounding, solid material as these two tracks is refreshing.
"If You Can't Rock Me" is one of the true classics of its genre. A torrid beat, hearty harmonies, slap bass, primitive drums and silvery acoustic guitar strumming get this taunting song off to a jet-propelled start. It's a 12-bar blues souped up and overhauled for Generation Elvis, but done with TLC in every department. Their group vocals are precise, in sync and in tune. These lads practiced and got their songs just right.
We often play garage bands from the 1960s on Fridays. Here's a 1950s garage band--local talent beholden to no one but themselves and doing A-OK on their own terms. Imperial Records picked this up after a regional release on the Lin label, but couldn't get it on the pop charts, for whatever reason(s).
Cash Box preferred the B-side, but both faces of this platter are fine. If only these guys had made an album's worth of material!
"Baby I'm Sorry" is value for money; another earthy, well-crafted rocker with the band again in top form. As with the other side, its lyric spills over with themes of troubled relationships. Whereas "If You" is a taunt, "Baby" is a plea for forgiveness; our narrator fesses up to his mistakes and hopes to make amends.
The emotional hooks of both songs make them more substantial than much rockabilly originals. There's enormous potential here and I wish the band had gotten a better break.
The emotional hooks of both songs make them more substantial than much rockabilly originals. There's enormous potential here and I wish the band had gotten a better break.
The Strikes called it quits in late 1957; one member was drafted and real life muscled in on their daily lives. One member, Don Alexander, continued to record and write songs; the others left rockin' behind. I hope they were aware of the admiration European rockabilly fans had for their work in the 1970s and '80s. All of The Strikes' four released sides have been reissued by Bear Family Records on various-artist CDs. Their music lives on...
Tomorrow: Harry Lookofsky was a multi-tracking violin virtuoso who recorded a jazz album for Atlantic Records. Two sides were released on 45 in 1960. Be-bop-a-roonie!
Tomorrow: Harry Lookofsky was a multi-tracking violin virtuoso who recorded a jazz album for Atlantic Records. Two sides were released on 45 in 1960. Be-bop-a-roonie!
Two rockin' lo-fi songs! Ricky Nelson did indeed cover "Baby I'm Sorry" on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" and it's available on YouTube. (Isn't EVERYTHING?) Watch until the end where Ozzie sings a bit of the song with a Davi Nelson punchline. Wonder what teeners of 1957 thought of this vanilla version of The Strikes song or if they were even aware of the Strikes version.
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