If you can believe most scientists (and if you can't then who can you believe?!!), ice ages are cyclical and are brought on by radical changes in the Earth's weather. Some of these scientists are of the opinion that humans are capable of bringing about changes in the weather severe enough to hasten the advent of the next ice age. They warn that pollution of the environment is destroying our ozone level, which protects our planet from much of the harmful radiation from the sun, and that if the trend continues we could experience global warming, which in turn could trigger melting of the ice caps at the poles, disrupting all kinds of delicate oceanic systems, ultimately leading to another era in which snow, sleet and penguin droppings cover the whole jolly orb. Luckily, there are politicians like George W. Bush and Dick Cheney assuring us that their big business backers can pollute all they want with no dire consequences so go ahead and drive the biggest SUV you can find and buy that new house near the atomic waste incinerator that you've been eyeing. The ironic hot leads to cool and cool leads to hot concept is also a big part of the garage rock scene. How many times have you been out to see some surf band, roots rocker or retro outfit and said something like, "These cats are hot!" and heard someone nearby chime in with, "Yeah, they are soooo cool!!"?? I don't really understand it either, but I'm more than happy to mine this silly linguistic anomoly for my column. I'm going to start with a few recent finds that are so hot they are cool (or is it the other way around?) and will add others from time to time as they find their way into my stereo system.

I have been a fan of the Shadows for quite a few years. I bought the six CD box set, The Early Years - 1959 to 1966 when the price represented a sizable portion of my week's pay. For me, the Shadows transcend the tag of good music purveyors. They also represent a certain visual and cultural coolness that I feel is red hot. The lads always appeared in neat threads and created exciting atmospheres rather than just pedestrian tunes on album after album, the covers of most of which were also more than easy on the eye. I wrote a song called "Moon Over the Moors" for the second Bangers & Mash CD, Why Do They Laugh at Our Hair?, which was based on the kind of melodic, mysterious and moody music that the Shadows created in the early '60s. The engineer, Danny McGough, and I started talking about the Shadows and he played me his Jet Harris single. I knew bassist extraordinaire Jet had a solo career after leaving the Shadows, but I wasn't aware of how good the music was until then. Recently, my girlfriend turned me on to an early '60s movie called Just For Fun. One of Julia's favorite portions is the song by Jet Harris and the Jet Blacks. In the film, Jet and his mates are decked out in black, are playing in near darkness with small spotlights on their faces and are all sporting the most deadpan expressions imaginable. The song they are playing, "Man From Nowhere," is suitably sinister and radically bottom heavy. There is another song in the film, "Hully Gully," which is credited to Jet and fellow Shadows expat, drummer Tony Meehan. I did a little research and found there is a compilation of Jet Harris and Tony Meehan material, together and individually, that is readily available on CD. I was totally blown away and a bit incredulous that I hadn't discovered this gem earlier. A big part of the charm is the fact that much of the lead is provided by Jet on a six string bass. If you are a Shadows fan, I can't imagine you not loving this material as much as I do. There are stellar covers of outside material, solid originals, a smattering of vocal numbers and state of the art production, including tasteful orchestration and cheesy angelic female background vocal ambiance. The effect of the low register leads, though, is the most pleasing facet for me and what keeps me going back to this CD for repeated dosages.

I am constantly amazed at the amount of music from the '60s (and beyond) that totally knocks my socks off, which I am not aware of. I guess that's how I keep my little toesies from getting too chilly. Every trip to a record store is a potential mind expanding exercise in aural enlightenment. The volume of used records floating around out there is staggering and after umpteen years of digging through the racks, there are still surprises at every turn. There is also a steady stream of reissues, repackaged collections and newly discovered artifacts to keep the shopping experience a constantly rewarding one. I had probably heard a few tracks by master guitarist Jimmy Bryant through the years, but I never paid much attention. Julia is a lot more knowledgeable than I am where country music is concerned. When she heard a review of a new three CD set on Sundazed, she became more than just a little intrigued. Her enthusiasm was contagious. We picked up Frettin' Fingers - the Lightning Guitar of Jimmy Bryant just before a road trip to Reno. Wowie kazowie! You've got to watch your speed driving with music like this urging you to go faster and faster. Some of Jimmy's wild techniques are downright freaky and that's what initially drew me in. Outer space sounds from the dawn of the Telecaster guitar! There are seventy-five tracks on this package, however, and if every one of them was a zany loon fest, it would probably drive me mad. Jimmy's legacy is based on his spectacular speed, dexterity and precision as well as his uncanny ability to coax sounds out of a guitar that defy all comprehension. Many of the numbers feature a fellow guitar whiz, Speedy West (pedal steel) and the music was recorded between 1950 and 1967. When Jimmy's album, The Fastest Guitar in the Country came out, many folks assumed studio tricks were used to make rapid fire fret work sound even faster. Nope, no smoke and mirrors were ever needed to create the mind numbingly busy melodies. Like Link Wray's extensive body of work, there is a lot to discover as you get more and more familiar with each tune. They might sound pretty similar at first blush, but each song stands alone and has plenty to offer the diligent listener. I will probably be making fresh discoveries for many months to come while digesting this truly amazing package.

I love the Slade album called Slayed? I am well aware that being into Noddy Holder and his mates is a guilty pleasure. The fact that Quiet Riot used Slade as the blueprint for their first few albums is proof enough of that for most garage rock fans. I have been aware that the fun lovin' quartet was known as Ambrose Slade in the early days for as long as I can remember, but I was never curious enough about their roots to invest in the albums that cover that era. To be honest, I had never expanded my Slade collection beyond the one album until I came across this CD compilation of prehistoric bands the various members had done time in back in the mid '60s. I have an idea I will be picking up the Ambrose Slade records now that I have reconnected. Heck, there's no telling how nutty I might get with my newfound Slade mania. On the whole, this very early material makes for a rather lukewarm package, but some of the songs are pretty hot, which is mighty cool if you get my drift. There are some great rockers like "Evil Witchman," "Take a Heart" and "Security." There are also plenty of serviceable tracks that total '60s fanatics will want to add to their collection. Slade purists will flip over "Feel So Fine," which showed up years later in a more rockin' glam style on the Slayed? album. There are even a couple gonzo gems, "Ugly Girl" and "Need" which highlight the influence Kim Fowley had on the impressionable lads when he briefly took an interest. The most exciting tracks for me, though, are the few that could pass for cheap Beatle wannabe toss offs. "Don't Leave Me Now" and "You Don't Believe Me" could pass for tacky Pete Best Band tracks. From some folks that would be slanderous talk, but from me it is high praise indeed! The bands represented are the Vendors, Steve Brett & the Mavericks and two versions of the 'N Betweens. The Vendors featured Dave Hill and Don Powell. The Mavericks were a rather large band with Noddy Holder playing guitar and singing backups. The 'N Betweens phase one included Dave and Don. In the second phase, the entire Slade lineup came together when Noddy and Jim Lea took over for departing members. I could have done without the Mavericks' wimpy tracks, but they do add a certain humorous touch. I like the way they make being "Sad Lonely & Blue" sound so uplifting and joyous. It reminds me of how depressing Al Green sounds singing about "Love & Happiness." I will have to fill in the gap between this ultra-early material and the Slayed? album and maybe even start looking into subsequent albums. A fellow must indulge his guilty pleasures, right?!!

Another genre that is so supernova explosion hot that no one can deny it's cool factor is that of the '60s teen idols with ridiculously high voices. I am exceedingly pleased to present a couple of exceptional examples of this extraordinarily exciting style of ultra-entertainment. The first is a CD two for one set that couples Lou Christie's Lightnin' Strikes and Painter of Hits albums. I have had the Lightnin' LP for so many years I know it inside out. My copy has been played so many times, though, that it has gotten pretty funky. I had been contemplating getting a better copy on vinyl because a lot of the tracks are not included on any of the hits packages on CD. Imagine the surge in my blood pressure when I saw this package. Why fellow scientists and musicologists don't utter Lou's name with the same reverence as that afford Tycho Brahe and Mick Jagger is beyond me. Maybe if he had discovered a few comets and sired children with supermodels as well as having left behind such a wealth of musical treasures things would be a lot different. Aha! I think I've just figured out why Lou's genius isn't more celebrated. If you take a good look at his attire on both album jackets, you can't help but notice he is obviously a secret agent. Judging by the way he effortlessly switches from dark to light trench coats, he was apparently a double agent. I hope I haven't finally blown his cover. All kidding aside, this is one of the most fun flights of fancy I have heard in quite a while. Lou was a master at his craft whether he was cranking out overly orchestrated and exaggeratedly heartfelt covers of teen hits like "Everyone's Gone to the Moon," "You've Got Your Troubles" and "Elusive Butterfly" or beyond quirky camp originals like "Painter," "Trapeze" or "Jungle." The biggest treat for me was getting to hear the Painter of Hits album for the first time. It's hard to believe it has been around since 1966 and I am just now discovering all its various wonders. I'm not sure how legitimate this release is. There is absolutely nothing in the way of liner notes or even a mention of who wrote any of the songs. I'm guessing that the real oddball stuff with the wacky background vocals is by Lou and longtime collaborator and mom figure, Twla Herbert. If I were put on a spaceship and blasted into the nether reaches of the galaxy at close to the speed of light to map the heavens, I would have plenty of time on my hands to find things to do to keep myself amused. This CD would either be my Rock of Gibraltar or it would put me right over the edge. I'd want it along either way.

An equally brilliant blast of teen pop with high soaring male vocal stylings came my way from the wonderful folks at Ace Records. The first of three CDs they are releasing to cover the career of the Newbeats is a joy to these ears. This set couples the first two albums the trio recorded as well as both sides of a single from the same era. Hot?... You bet! Cool?... No Doubt! As was the case with Lou Christie, I have one of the albums on vinyl and have heard some of the tracks from the other on a hits package, but I can now blast all the songs whenever the spirit strikes without worrying about pops, skips, hisses and additional wear. "Bread & Butter" was a massive hit for the trio and the album it spawned is chock full of other excellent rhythm and beat marvels featuring Larry Henley's patented window rattling screachy yet smooth falsetto and the able backing of the Mathis brothers, Dean and Marc. The Bread & Butter album contains another sizable hit, "Everything's Alright." I've talked the Bread & Butter album up in a previous Universe article so I will devote more time to the follow up, Big Beat Sounds by the Newbeats. Some of the tracks were included on the CD best of package I picked up a while ago to fill in some gaps between the Bread & Butter and Run Baby Run albums. A bunch of these rockin' rumblers are brand new to me, though, and are every bit as exciting. I find it hard to believe that "Find Ya Somewhere Else to Eat Your Crackers" didn't make the cut for the 18 track Newbeats retrospective on Collectables, but I guess with so many excellent cuts to choose from there really aren't that many obvious throw aways. "Crackers" is so derivative of "Bread & Butter" it seems like a natural keeper to me, but I can understand cooler heads thinking otherwise. It's to be expected that the Newbeats' covers of better know artists' big hits are considered by most to be lame filler, but I find it quite fascinating to hear their simple formulaic versions of songs like "Mother-In-Law" and "Great Balls of Fire" with Larry's insane warble riding shotgun. The chaps who wrote "Bread & Butter" are featured heavily on the second album and their wry humor is a decided bonus. The same naive view of romance they used for their "snack" tunes is evident on "Better Watch Your Step," "The Natural," "Hey-O-Daddy-O" and "(The Bees are for the Birds) the Birds are for the Bees." If you can't warm up to music like this, you must just be too cool for school.

I had heard that the Aerovons were Beatlesque, but I wasn't prepared for the extent to which the lads copped the Fab Four's sound until I picked up the Resurrection album on CD. I guess I was expecting something along the lines of Pilot or Badfinger. I think much of the band's music is more in the realm of that of the Rutles or Todd Rundgren's Utopia on the Deface the Music album. Some of their "original tunes" are to Beatles' music what cheap knock-off purses are to Gucci's. They sound pretty close and have aspects that could fool the casual listener, but they lack the authenticity of having actually fallen out of the heads of John, Paul, George and/or Ringo. The song "Resurrection" is a very obvious recreation of "Across the Universe," including the radically different change part. "Say Georgia" is almost identical to "Oh Darlin'." If I were more of an authority on chord progressions, riffs and melodies I could probably suss out plenty of other connections. That's the problem with us scientists; we can't specialize in everything! Thankfully, most of the songs stray far enough from being reworked Beatles recordings that I can't pinpoint the exact Lennon/McCartney origins. Even so, they are rife with similar sounding vocals, production techniques, instrumentation and general vibe. It might seem that I am rather down on the band and their music based on the previous statements, but that is not the case. I find such slavish hero worship quite amusing and enjoy the music on a variety of levels. I appreciate the fact that then seventeen year-old Tom Hartman was able to distill the essence of another band and come up with material that was different enough that it couldn't be considered straight plagiarism and yet was undeniably of the same stripe. I have tried the same thing on several occasions and fallen way short. I like the music as an extension of a certain genre. In much the same way a whole bunch of other artists made wonderful rock and roll music based on Chuck Berry's basic molds, this is good music that could conceivably be thought of as generic Beatles music if you accepted the notion that Beatles music was a style like reggae or bluegrass. Some of the few people who heard this music when it was recorded assumed it actually was music by the Beatles. I am a huge fan of bands that tried to milk the Lennon & McCartney franchise only to find out there was a little more to the act than just stringing words and notes together in a certain general way. Being somewhat of a collector of this sort of thing, I always welcome more examples. I also have a world of respect for a handful of kids from Missouri who could travel to England and, with only the assistance of one of their moms, secure a contract with the Beatles label and meet folks like the Hollies, the Moody Blues and several of their ultimate heroes. If you wish the White Album had been a three record set, this Aerovons CD will either satisfy that longing or convince you of the wisdom of the "be careful what you wish for..." expression. Expanding on the Beatles' legacy is a cool idea and this CD is red hot!

As if Billy Childish didn't crank out records fast enough, there is a new band recording music that could pass for Thee Headcoats, complete with a Headcoatee. The notion that Thee Fine Lines listened to a bunch of records by the Downliners Sect, Jimmy Reed, Screaming Jay Hawkins, the Kinks, et al. and came up with their own sound that just happens to sound like a carbon copy of one of Billy's bands is highly unlikely. Thankfully, they do a terrific job of writing powerful and clever yet butt-simple songs and they have the vocal and instrumental chops to pull the whole thing off. I write about a lot of bands that attempted to fool the public into thinking they were either the Beatles or just as good, but this is a different phenomenon altogether. The Beatles wannabes were the most prolific of copycat bands because the Beatles were so phenomenally successful and had such a distinct sound. There are acts that have copied Elvis, the Monkees, the Kinks, Nirvana and others, through the years, but in those instances it was easy to figure out why. In this case there is no "aha!" element. It's easy enough to discern that Thee Fine Lines are not trying to ride Billy's coattails to fabulous fortune and worldwide fame because Billy is not a permanent fixture in the pages of People magazine and probably never will be. Sure, most all of the beautiful and intelligent folks who read Garage & Beat are aware of the Milkshakes, Mighty Caesars, Buff Medways, Pop Rivets, et al., but in the grand scheme of things, what does that amount to? It's sort of like striving to be famous by usurping the grandeur of an American president and then choosing Millard Fillmore as the model. The band is a rambunctious trio with Justin Kearbey on guitar and vocals, his brother Jason Kearbey on drums and Trista Winn on bass and vocals. All three write, but Justin is the most prolific. If I weren't so hot on all things Billy I might not think this concept and execution is so doggone cool. After a few listens, I have also come to the conclusion that the band has a certain sound that is unique to the three of them. Justin sounds a lot like Billy when he is yelling in anguish but not exactly the same. Similarly, I'd be hard pressed to decide which Headcoatee Trista sounds most like even though she could secretly infiltrate their ranks without raising many eyebrows. I don't detect any differences in the sound of their instruments or their technique but there are probably people who are more discerning who could. Tell the biggest Billy freak you know that you've found a great lost unreleased Headcoats album, give them an unmarked CD-R copy of this derivative gem and see if they don't swoon.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the Chartbusters were the bomb (Of course, a working knowledge of trajectories, accelerations, etc. hasn't slowed me down any). I had heard about this band long ago, but never followed up. Recently, I received an email from Scram Magazine editrix Kim Cooper. She sent along a snippet of conversation between a group of wanabe Beatle record nuts she'd been following on one of the list serves she enjoys. They were talking about the origins of some of the songs found on cheapo cash in records of the '60s. I don't remember all they were ranting and raving about, but one line caught my attention. It was something along the lines of, "If you don't have a copy of 'She's the One' by the Chartbusters, you don't deserve to keep your vinyl collection." The fact that this statement was met with general agreement (instead of the usual insults, death threats and snorts of derision that greet most list serve posts that take any sort of stance) made it clear to me that I needed to right an immense wrong by getting my hands on some of the band's material as soon as humanly possible. To my utter joy, I found that there was a 30-track CD compilation readily available online. When a month had passed and it had still not arrived, my hopes waned. I figured I had just missed yet another CD, which had gone out of print right before I became aware of its existence. Well, it finally found my mailbox and boy was I delighted! It was all I could hope for. The band underwent a number of personnel changes while trying out one genre after another in a failed attempt to capture the imagination of the record buying public, but most of the music rubs me the right way. The 'Busters (as us instant fans refer to them) had a lot going for them, but never quite took the world by storm. They were already seasoned professionals by the time the '60s started in earnest. Some of the styles they mastered include Buddy Holly influenced rock and roll, teen angst ballads, hot rod music and power pop that reminds me of what the Knickerbockers created in their day. At some point, though, the band fell under the Lennon and McCartney spell and turned their talents toward trying to capture the energy and fun time groove of Merseybeat music. "She's the One" is the obvious hit of this collection. Imagine "When I Saw Her Standing There" with different lyrics, melody and chords, but just as much swinging drive. There are plenty of other moments, however, that will give your "Man, this is cool! Yeah, totally hot!" vocabulary a workout. One such winner is a song with the catchy as can be chorus, "She's slippin' right through your fingers right before your eyes." There are many more gems as well as a few standards, namely "New Orleans," "Slippin' and slidin'" and "Summertime Blues." One song, "One Bird in the Hand is Like Two Birds in the Bush" could pass for a Newbeats number, crazy high pitched lead vocal, stellar arrangement, tight harmonies and everything. Wow! The folks I mentioned from the list serve were talking about the Beatles inspired tracks being used on various phony Beatles cash in records, but I'm too lazy to do the requisite research to find out. "Why (Doncha be My Girl)" is one that sounds so familiar I can easily imagine it being attributed to the Liverpools, Pepperpots, Manchesters and/or any number of other dubious entities that released turgid British Invasion impersonations in 1964. "Stop the Music" has many of the same qualities, but is a bit more stiff and listless. The band did a version of "Please Please Me" that has the same good, but not quite Beatles good quality that is found on so many of the rip off platters. There is also a version of "My Bonnie" that is absolutely dreadful. It's hard to imagine why the song was such a hit in the early '60s anyway. I used to think a lot of groups covered it because the Beatles had, but now I think there must have been some sort of mass hysteria that rendered the turkey attractive to teens in its hey day. If the rumor can be believed (have you ever wondered how rumors get started? Hmmm), one of the Liverbirds suggested doing a version and calling it "My Barney," but the other gals threatened to quit if the idea were pursued. That one song is the lowest point on a CD that is brimming with winners. If you appreciate artful Beatling, hunt this rascal down. If you know of any direct links between Chartbusters recordings and cash in albums attributed to other groups, please drop me a line!

The following CD release will be appreciated by fans of 60s rock or Jesus. Those who are into both will be doubly blessed if they add this one to their stash. Practically any genre in any modern era has had at least one band that used the popular musical medium to spread their faith to fellow music lovers. I remember being somewhat amused by Stryper trying to bring the gospel to heavy metal, which seems like a singular musical form dominated by worshipers of everything the Bible is against. I've even heard death metal music with lyrics that sing the praises of the Lord. When LRL records head honcho Ed Nadorozny sent me the Pilgrims "Telling Youth the Truth," he turned me on to my first example of '60s Jesus rock. The Pilgrims were from Britain and, according to the liner notes, were also the first band to play electric music that promoted Christianity. They were not the only ones who mixed beat music with faith. Some of the others include the Crossbeats, the Joystrings, the Cobblers, the Glorylanders and the Calvary Links. This CD is a compilation of tracks the Pilgrims recorded between 1962 and 1967 and showcases the talents of a variety of lineups. It opens with a track called "Hey You," a hard-edged Them inspired track that asks the listener to think about the road they are on and ponder the possibility of a better way. In my opinion, it is the best song on the CD. It is also the least preachy, but I believe that is more of a coincidence than anything else. The group's strengths are found in their guitar playing, drum pounding, harmonica blasting and adherence to chord structures popularized by the Animals, Zombies, Stones and other teen friendly acts that were all that and a bag of salty crisps while the Pilgrims were making the rounds of churches and Christian teen dances as well as all the usual religion optional pubs and halls. Their vocals were okay too, but sometimes prone to stiffness due to making sure the lyrics were always easy to understand. To my way of thinking, there is something peculiar about devoting each and every song in your repertoire to one theme. How many of us could stay infatuated with a group that devoted every tune to the joy paying taxes on time or cutting the crust off of the bread in their sandwiches? Even the Beach Boys eventually strayed off the surf message. I would imagine the Pilgrims' music was devoured by the devout and ignored by the rest of the teens who might have happened upon the group. More converts might have been made if the band sang of the glories of pointy shoes, pizza and pretty girls, and snuck their faith in as more of a bonus than the beginning, end and middle of existence, but maybe their strategy worked out for them just fine. Faith is more a matter of quality than quantity anyway, right? You're darn tootin'!! While they might not have attracted huge throngs of screaming kids to their shows, that was the fate of the vast majority of groups anyway. The fans that adored beat music with some teeth and a solid Christian message could groove behind songs like, "Do You Believe in God?" "Think of God's Love," "Heaven's the Place for Me," "Thank You Lord," "Who's Your Lord?" and a slew of other equally Jesus happy numbers. Thanks to cool folks who go to the trouble of unearthing lost gems and giving them a second life, you can join in on all the fun too. For a cool new label this is a pretty hot first release!

I'll be giving my scientific views on a CD by Joe Goldmark called "Steelin' the Beatles" and an LP by the (ya ta ta taaaa!) Grasshoppers called "The Grasshoppers Sing the Hits, All My Loving, A Hard Day's Night, I Want to Hold Your Hand and Other Hits with the Liverpool Sound" between disertations on stellar mass calculations and unorthodox banjo tunings at the local Mensa Hall. After that I will knock out a few reviews and see if I can't Tabitha interested in doing another of her articles. Don't forget to get your passes for the Las Vegas Rock Around this Sept. 24, 25 & 26. It's going to be a blast!