What comes to mind when the musician Richard Hawley is mentioned? If it’s Britpop, then get with the programme, that was The Longpigs in the 90s. Where have you been? Not just a singer-songwriter, he is a Sheffield-legend and recipient of Best Original Score at this year’s Olivier Awards for the rock ‘n’ roll musical Standing At The Sky’s Edge. This not only received just a mention but also took top honours, so it might be considered a definite that this genre is Richard’s passion. This 28 track compilation allow him to expand your mind, as these tunes span 72 minutes, with 7”s that as Richard puts it, are “Little Bangers”. These are discs he has collected on his travels around the globe, through friends, family, collectors, word of mouth, thrift shop finds, pub jukebox gems, and all in between. Be it an instrumental, a passion-draped love song, or a sinister look at the underworld, these are tunes with attitude. The life of a record collector, I know it well, although musician too, I wish.
Starting with ‘Hornet’s Nest’ by Curtis Knight & The Squires, this features one Jimi Hendrix, something not lost on Richard. An instrumental, this is a number Quentin Tarantino might have considered when compiling tunes for Pulp Fiction. Such is its pace and all-around aura, but looking at my soundtrack album it obviously missed the cut. Many of these tunes are instrumentals, showing that you don’t always need vocals when it comes to illustrating a number as The Shadows showed all too well. They feature with ‘Scotch On The Rocks’, but not before the totally awesome ‘Path Through The Forest’, a number by The Factory, whose presence here is well placed. The Roadrunners chime in with their ‘Quasimoto’, a tune which has a ring of The Shadows but they were a surf rock band of their day. I should be forgiven for wanting to play Pulp Fiction again such is its feel.
Every one of these is its own slice of audio heaven, music released to make those moments of listening just a little easier and those feet move. With no pretext, or need to reach the top, as they’ve already done that in their own way. These tunes have been assembled to give the listener an insight into how life rolled at the time of their recording. I defy anyone to stand still, stay seated, or remain motionless, while these numbers play out. From the gravelly vocal of Ronny Kae, on ‘Swinging Drums’ to the surf rock of Rockin’ Ronald & The Rebels and their ‘Cuttin’ Out’. Although these tunes have their time and place, they are almost timeless. I can see why Mr Hawley has these assembled on his jukebox playlist. Now The Troggs is one band who needs no introduction in my mind and with ‘Feels Like A Woman’ show how they were far more than just ‘Wild Thing’. This slice of garage rock, hears vocalist Reg Presley casting a menace that would have had the older generation concerned as to how this was corrupting their children. We’ve heard that one before, what goes around comes around.
The Pirates ‘Cuttin’ Out’ has a familiar rock ’n roll vibe and Art Guy shows that in 1967 the sixties were still swinging, as ‘Where You Gonna Go’ cut its cloth in such a way. Like ‘Neb’s Tune’ from Ahab & The Wailers, these have the feel of a Thunderbird’s episode; has time tainted my view because images of those plastic figures dance across my mind. But it’s not all instrumentation and childlike menace as Bobbie Gentry & Jody Reynolds’ ‘Requiem For Love’ proves. It is a number that goes to show that love and loss were still very much a factor as the kids danced in front of the stereogram whilst the artists told their story, The Chandelles lined up ‘El Gato’, another instrumental and an Underworld in their day, just without the electronics that would come later. Finally, Sanford Clark’s ‘It’s Nothing To Me’ brings this collection to a close and leaves me remembering the line once mistakenly attributed to John Wayne, “Get off your horse and drink your milk”, as this number, complete with six shooters closes this first episode of Little Bangers from Richard Hawley’s Jukebox. Musician turned educator, step into his world and learn of these once-lost gems.
