Harry And His Box Set (V1, 2, 7, 10, 12, 15, 14 update.)

[Spaniard in da Works]

Then there's the other end of the spectrum: production that is way too timid. Records that should be popping don't go anywhere because the man in charge didn't get the performance required, or didn't know how to capture the sound of the group properly. That is actually far more common.

Jimmy Page used to say that in the 60s there were very good drummers, but they were not well recorded. I once listened with a friend to one of the latest Yardbirds tracks, "Think about It", which is known mainly because Page recycled the guitar solo for "Dazed and Confused". My friend said "this shows that Jimmy needed to play with a good drummer". But in fact Jim McCarty was a good drummer - I have heard live recordings of the Yardbirds and he was very good and driving - only that Mickie Most's production made him sound like he was hitting cardboard boxes.

[unwantedman]

Several songs on their album have the sound and feel of the one hit song. But not quite good enough. For example: Pink Petticoats, Big Bopper's Wedding, and Little Red Riding Hood all have the trademark laughs or spoken comic asides, or Helloooo Baby's. etc. as does Chantilly Lace. But Chantilly Lace was the hit that packaged all of it in the right proportions.

And it's not like The Big Bopper was a one trick Pony songwriter: he wrote White Lightning for George Jones.

the big bopper also wrote one of the best christmas songs, i want a rock-n-roll guitar, recorded by johnny preston. running bear, another big hit for johnny preston, was written by the big bopper too.

[Johnny Kidd Fan Club]

The Billy J Kramer version of My Babe sounds as if it was recorded after Mick Green jumped ship from Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. Compare the Johnny Kidd tracks on HAHBS08 with the Dakotas tracks on the new HAHBS14. Also check out The Pirates (minus Johnny Kidd) version of My Babe on YouTube. Good stuff.

Yes, Dakota bassman Ray Jones quit / was pushed circa 18th July and the group grabbed Mick Green who was deeply unhappy with Kidd and The Pirates current booking - a summer season at Blackpool with Joe Brown, The Tornados. One of the other Dakotas switched to bass.
As far as I know, Mick loved playing with Kidd but the "play a couple of songs twice daily family entertainment orientated bill", crap weather and accommodation finished him off. That and the compere's act with dogs apparently. Def. not very rock 'n' roll.
The Dakotas (who Kidd and co. had played with before on tour) offered Mick the job and told him their next dates were Hawaii and I think Australia and New Zealand so Mick jumped ship with Kidd's blessing.

As you noted, Mick appears on the Billy J. From Us To You session recorded 24th July 1964.

Stuart Taylor of The Tornados took over from Mick for a few shows until Kidd found John Weider (later of Eric Burdon and The New Animals). Unfortunately Kidd arrived back late for one of the Blackpool shows as a result of picking up Weider and was fired. Things never really picked up for Kidd after that which was sad as he deserved far more success than he achieved, even if he and the Pirates were well loved and highly respected by many of the top groups.
I imagine Macca was well aware of Mick from his Pirate days (the Fabs supported Kidd in 62) and his Dakotas stint. He was a highly regarded guitarist - Pete Townshend has credited him as a massive influence on his guitar playing and Kidd and The Pirates inspired The Who to change their early format to become a power trio plus singer.
BTW. the B-side of The Pirates solo My Babe single is a superb version of Casting My Spell. Well worth checking out.

[alphabeatles]

I imagine Macca was well aware of Mick from his Pirate days (the Fabs supported Kidd in 62) and his Dakotas stint. He was a highly regarded guitarist

You can see Mick playing on Paul's 1999 Cavern gig, posted here just yesterday!

[jpgrcat1960]

The Billy J Kramer version of My Babe sounds as if it was recorded after Mick Green jumped ship from Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. Compare the Johnny Kidd tracks on HAHBS08 with the Dakotas tracks on the new HAHBS14. Also check out The Pirates (minus Johnny Kidd) version of My Babe on YouTube. Good stuff.

Yes, Dakota bassman Ray Jones quit / was pushed circa 18th July and the group grabbed Mick Green who was deeply unhappy with Kidd and The Pirates current booking - a summer season at Blackpool with Joe Brown, The Tornados. One of the other Dakotas switched to bass.
As far as I know, Mick loved playing with Kidd but the "play a couple of songs twice daily family entertainment orientated bill", crap weather and accommodation finished him off. That and the compere's act with dogs apparently. Def. not very rock 'n' roll.
The Dakotas (who Kidd and co. had played with before on tour) offered Mick the job and told him their next dates were Hawaii and I think Australia and New Zealand so Mick jumped ship with Kidd's blessing.

As you noted, Mick appears on the Billy J. From Us To You session recorded 24th July 1964.

Stuart Taylor of The Tornados took over from Mick for a few shows until Kidd found John Weider (later of Eric Burdon and The New Animals). Unfortunately Kidd arrived back late for one of the Blackpool shows as a result of picking up Weider and was fired. Things never really picked up for Kidd after that which was sad as he deserved far more success than he achieved, even if he and the Pirates were well loved and highly respected by many of the top groups.
I imagine Macca was well aware of Mick from his Pirate days (the Fabs supported Kidd in 62) and his Dakotas stint. He was a highly regarded guitarist - Pete Townshend has credited him as a massive influence on his guitar playing and Kidd and The Pirates inspired The Who to change their early format to become a power trio plus singer.
BTW. the B-side of The Pirates solo My Babe single is a superb version of Casting My Spell. Well worth checking out.

Thank you for BJK's recording dates..1964-07-24

I hope the rest of the guest artists recording dates, if at all possible?

My Babe is a killer song

[Johnny Kidd Fan Club]

The Billy J Kramer version of My Babe sounds as if it was recorded after Mick Green jumped ship from Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. Compare the Johnny Kidd tracks on HAHBS08 with the Dakotas tracks on the new HAHBS14. Also check out The Pirates (minus Johnny Kidd) version of My Babe on YouTube. Good stuff.

Yes, Dakota bassman Ray Jones quit / was pushed circa 18th July and the group grabbed Mick Green who was deeply unhappy with Kidd and The Pirates current booking - a summer season at Blackpool with Joe Brown, The Tornados. One of the other Dakotas switched to bass.
As far as I know, Mick loved playing with Kidd but the "play a couple of songs twice daily family entertainment orientated bill", crap weather and accommodation finished him off. That and the compere's act with dogs apparently. Def. not very rock 'n' roll.
The Dakotas (who Kidd and co. had played with before on tour) offered Mick the job and told him their next dates were Hawaii and I think Australia and New Zealand so Mick jumped ship with Kidd's blessing.

As you noted, Mick appears on the Billy J. From Us To You session recorded 24th July 1964.

Stuart Taylor of The Tornados took over from Mick for a few shows until Kidd found John Weider (later of Eric Burdon and The New Animals). Unfortunately Kidd arrived back late for one of the Blackpool shows as a result of picking up Weider and was fired. Things never really picked up for Kidd after that which was sad as he deserved far more success than he achieved, even if he and the Pirates were well loved and highly respected by many of the top groups.
I imagine Macca was well aware of Mick from his Pirate days (the Fabs supported Kidd in 62) and his Dakotas stint. He was a highly regarded guitarist - Pete Townshend has credited him as a massive influence on his guitar playing and Kidd and The Pirates inspired The Who to change their early format to become a power trio plus singer.
BTW. the B-side of The Pirates solo My Babe single is a superb version of Casting My Spell. Well worth checking out.

Thank you for BJK's recording dates..1964-07-24

I hope the rest of the guest artists recording dates, if at all possible?

My Babe is a killer song

The Overlanders - 13th July
Lulu / cilla black / kenny salmon seven 21 July
the animals 22 July

[jpgrcat1960]

Yes, Dakota bassman Ray Jones quit / was pushed circa 18th July and the group grabbed Mick Green who was deeply unhappy with Kidd and The Pirates current booking - a summer season at Blackpool with Joe Brown, The Tornados. One of the other Dakotas switched to bass.
As far as I know, Mick loved playing with Kidd but the "play a couple of songs twice daily family entertainment orientated bill", crap weather and accommodation finished him off. That and the compere's act with dogs apparently. Def. not very rock 'n' roll.
The Dakotas (who Kidd and co. had played with before on tour) offered Mick the job and told him their next dates were Hawaii and I think Australia and New Zealand so Mick jumped ship with Kidd's blessing.

As you noted, Mick appears on the Billy J. From Us To You session recorded 24th July 1964.

Stuart Taylor of The Tornados took over from Mick for a few shows until Kidd found John Weider (later of Eric Burdon and The New Animals). Unfortunately Kidd arrived back late for one of the Blackpool shows as a result of picking up Weider and was fired. Things never really picked up for Kidd after that which was sad as he deserved far more success than he achieved, even if he and the Pirates were well loved and highly respected by many of the top groups.
I imagine Macca was well aware of Mick from his Pirate days (the Fabs supported Kidd in 62) and his Dakotas stint. He was a highly regarded guitarist - Pete Townshend has credited him as a massive influence on his guitar playing and Kidd and The Pirates inspired The Who to change their early format to become a power trio plus singer.
BTW. the B-side of The Pirates solo My Babe single is a superb version of Casting My Spell. Well worth checking out.

Thank you for BJK's recording dates..1964-07-24

I hope the rest of the guest artists recording dates, if at all possible?

My Babe is a killer song

The Overlanders - 13th July
Lulu / cilla black / kenny salmon seven 21 July
the animals 22 July

Tracks 10, 21 & 23 are records?

Thank you for the dates

Track 5 by Cilla sounds good to me, plus Animals were good too

[Lord Reith]

I'm crushed we didn't get The animals' rendition of My favourite Things. Partly because I really love that song, and partly because I can't even begin to imagine how they tackled it. Maybe it was a sendup. It only went for 1'45"

So we've got Johnny Kidd's guitarist on the Billy J numbers? I did think My Babe sounded rather un-Dakotish.

The seaside revues would have been a drag for rock bands. It was all mum and dad and music hall. A good gig for Nat the Rubber Man but not a place any self respecting rock star would want to be caught dead.

[Ziggy C]

And it's not like The Big Bopper was a one trick Pony songwriter: he wrote White Lightning for George Jones.

the big bopper also wrote one of the best christmas songs, i want a rock-n-roll guitar, recorded by johnny preston. running bear, another big hit for johnny preston, was written by the big bopper too.

The Big Bopper was one of those guys who, if he'd lived, would've remained a major songwriter on the scene. I'm learning he had his hand in a number of very popular songs. Honestly, the small handful of his own recorded songs is all I had to go on with the repetition in his recorded output. He is certainly enigmatic; he could've gone novelty, country, ballads, and any of a number of other directions if time were on his side.

[jackb]

I have a question about From Us To You #3, broadcast on May 18, 1964. Somewhere I have a version of that show that includes performances by Dusty Springfield, Manfred Mann, The Breakaways, Lulu and records by Alan Sherman, Chuck Berry etc. But looking at the playlist for Harry And His Box Set 13 I only see the Beatles tracks. What's the story?

I'm a bit confused, Jack