The Gate Crashers – Come to Our Surprise Party
“The Gate Crashers invite you to join the happiest party and dance record you have ever experienced!” “Whether you’re 19 or 90 here’s pure party dynamite!” Another release from the prolific Stereo Gold Award people aka DL Miller. This is volume 4 in a series of Gate Crashers platters and features a racy cover which, though tame by today’s standards, would certainly have attracted many a record buyer at the time.
Label: Stereo Gold Award MER 383
The Harry Stoneham Quartet – Hammond Sounds Relaxing
Sleeve Notes:
Harry Stoneham has been a regular session musician for many years. One of Britain’s finest organists, he has backed many of the top hit parade singers, but seldom taken the limelight himself.
Recently, however, Harry has been receiving his own share of attention thanks to his group providing the music for Michael Parkinson’s late-night television series. As well as being called upon to support such eminent guests as Bing Crosby, Muhammed Ali and Duke Ellington, they have attracted critical acclaim with their own solo spots.
Label: EMI Records OU2049
Front cover photo: Rayment Kirby
Cover design: Feref
Don Hilo and his Sounds of the Islands – The Romantic Magic of Hawaii
Sleeve notes:
Here is your musical passport to a land of gentle breezes and swaying palm trees. The romance and magic of a turntable trip to the Pacific isles – home of Don Hilo and his Sounds of the Islands.
Label: Stereo Galaxy G 806
The Exciting Sounds of Chico Arnez – Non-stop Dance Party
Sleeve Notes:
Regular listeners to BBC Radio 2 will be familiar with infectiously catchy stylings of Chico Arnez, thanks to all year-round appearances on programmes such as “Late Night Extra”, “Night Ride” and the Tony Brandon, Charlie Chester and Joe Henderson shows.
Twenty years in the business has brought the ultimate degree of professionalism to Chico’s music, and he has a dazzling stage show to back it up, utilising strobe lights, slides, movies and a machine which blows bubbles over the audience!
Label: MFP 50179
International Pop Orchestra – 27 Non-Stop Classics
Not much is known about the International Pop Orchestra and Chorus but what we do know is that their versions of “27 Non- Stop Classics” came “with a beat”. If you know more about them, or maybe you were one of them, drop us a message. We’ll be happy to illuminate here.
Label: Contour 2870 387
Sounds Exciting! – Various Artists
The cover of this record was photographed by David Wedgbury who photographed many top recording artists in the 60s and 70s including David Bowie, Marianne Faithfull, The Rolling Stones and The Who. A selection of his legacy can be viewed over at this site where if you have the cash you can purchase limited edition prints.
Label: Decca BPS 2
Cover photograph: David Wedgbury
The Musicmakers – Let’s All Sing
Sleeve Notes:
There was a time when families gathered around the parlour piano and sang the favourite songs of the day. It was simple, it was fun; and long before television and mass entertainment became the yard-stick of public enjoyment, the family singalong was enormously popular.
Today the singalong still survives, maybe not around the piano any more but certainly with an album like this one you’ll be hard put not to join in a chorus or two. The formula, like all good things, is basically simple because the songs are well-known, the melodies easy on the ear and when there are no fewer than thirty-five of them you’re in no danger of running out of inspiration!
We’ve included drinking songs, songs of love, marching songs and a rousing bunch by that master of American folk song, Stephen Foster; every kind of song in fact to fit in with just about every kind of mood.
So whether you’re planning a party or just want to sit back and hear the old songs sung in community style you’re in good hands. Who knows, the musicmakers might even have you on your feet singing!
Label: Hallmark SHM 847
Roberto Delgado – Bouzouki Magic
Roberto Delgado was not Spanish as the name might suggest. In fact Roberto Delgado wasn’t the artist’s name at all. Horst Wende is the man behind the name on this platter, a German bandleader and arranger who achieved huge success in Germany with his range of world music themed recordings.
Label: Polydor 2371 468
Top of the Pops Best of ’74
Sleeve Notes:
This really must be the best value ever!
Hundreds of thousands of Pop Fans throughout the world already know that each year we release a “Best of Top of the Pops” album containing the greatest hits recorded on our Top of the Pops albums during the year, and that means the very best tunes to hit the Pop World. Well, how’s this for value? On this fabulous L.P. we’ve packed no less than fourteen of the year’s greatest pop sounds, all of which have been at No. 1 – rock, ballad, the – lot – PLUS a giant all-colour pin-up Calendar Poster for 1975!
Thanks to you all, it’s been a marvellous year for Top of the Pops. We’re still proud of the fact that this great series is the world’s’ best selling, regularly released Pop album. We’ll tell you how it all started. A few years ago (it seems centuries) our Boss Cat decided that what was needed to keep the Pop World rolling was an album with all the current hits rendered by the finest Session Musicians in the business. These Session Boys would reproduce as closely as possible the vocal and instrumental sounds made famous by the great names of Pop. What’s more, we had to give the best value in the record business.
After a great deal of huffing and puffing, sweating and blowing by Boss at and all at Pickwick we produced Volume 1 of Top of the Pops – and it took off like a bomb! Then it all happened, Volume alter volume was released every six or eight weeks – and new era in recorded Pop Music was born! Well, just try these 14 great hits – we repeat – all have been at No 1 in the Charts and not only will you be taking a short walk down Memory Lane to the beginning of this year but you’ll also be jumping to to-day’s sounds.
Label: Hallmark SHM 890