Cashman, Pistilli & West – GTO Rock (1970) Co-written by Terry Cashman, the guy who wrote “Talkin’ Baseball”. I thought that song was about a talking baseball named Willie Endaduke. But no, it was a mawkish musical abortion about the baseball strike of that era. Don’t look there…look HERE. Anyhow, it was my least favorite song for a good long while until that “4 Non Blondes” song showed up.
Israel Tolbert – Big Leg Woman (With a Short, Short Mini-Skirt) (1970)
David Bowie: “(Fanny) were one of the finest fucking rock bands of their time, in about 1973. They were extraordinary: They wrote everything, they played like motherfuckers, they were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them. They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever; it just wasn’t their time. Revivify Fanny. And I will feel that my work is done.
This episode of D-Sides features the members of Fanny, an American rock band active in the early 1970s. They were one of the first all-female rock groups to achieve critical and commercial success, including two Billboard Hot 100 top 40 singles. They were the first self-contained all-female band to be signed by a major label (Reprise).
The group was founded by guitarist June Millington and her sister, bassist Jean, who had been playing music together since they moved from the Philippines to California in 1961. After playing in several bands, they attracted the interest of producer Richard Perry, who signed them to Reprise Records in 1969 as Fanny. The band recorded four albums together before June Millington quit the group. Following a final album, Fanny disbanded in 1975.
I don’t adore most of their solo stuff. Mostly. But almost no one has heard it or even knew that it (the solo stuff) and it (the band Fanny) ever existed. I’m not sure this makes the case for or agin’. But I’ll be dipped in offal before I ever do a show on Sparks.
June & Jean Millington – Bird In Flight (1978)
June Millington – One World, One Heart (1988)
Nickey Barclay – Didn’t I (1976)
Nickey Barclay – Baby Don’t Let it Mess Your Mind (1976)
Nickey Barclay – Diamond in a Junkyard (1976)
Paul Revere and the Raiders – Judge GTO Breakaway (1968)
Ricardo Ray – More Than Yesterday (1968)
Tanya Tucker – A Rock N Roll Girl From Alaska (1977) A non-album single released only in Japan.
Tanya Tucker – Not Fade Away (1978) I was home from school one day and Tanya Tucker was on The Mike Douglas Show promoting this album, a reinvention of the waif that sang “Delta Dawn”. Stunningly, she was only 20 when this came out. I love her voice. I wonder if she was dating Andy Gibb at the time.
I do know that since I didn’t really feel right trying to tame my teenage body to Lena Zavaroni, Tanya was my de facto post-Marie Osmond ideé fixé.
The Moving Sounde – Holy High (1974) Like a cheap version of Chicago.
The Moving Sounde – Rusty Sailor (1974)
The Moving Sounde – I’d Love to be With Her Tonight (1974)
The Nickey Barclay Band – Let’s Go Get Stoned (1981)
The Nickey Barclay Band – Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go (1981)
GTO Ad “The Way It’s Gonna Be” (1970)
June Millington – Brown Like Me (1988)
June Millington – She’s The One (1988)
The Great Society – White Rabbit (1966)
Steve Walsh – Just How It Feels (1980) This song from the pretty much totally ignored Schemer/Dreamer solo album is a guilty pleasure of mine. Religion kills everything good. Religion didn’t kill Kansas, but it did supply the hotel pillow.
Steve Walsh – Wait Until Tomorrow (1980)
Ann Sheridan – I Want You (He’s So Heavy) (1977)
Bill Joy – How Long Are You Staying (197?) This song rhymes “Disco”, “Frisco”, “Mount Kisco”, “Crisco”.
Osmonds – Baby’s Back (1979)
Stu Stevens – Square Dance (1983)
The Vibrators – Jive Talkin’ (197?)
From the back cover: In the beginning of their careers, many groups are victimized by restricting labels that inhibit their growth as musicians. Tags such as “acid-rock” and “soul” can retard the ascent of a group’s quest for now musical horizons. Not so with The Vibrators – they refuse to be limited by name-calling.
Deity – Disco Child (1977)
Maxx Traxx – Let’s Have A Party (1982)
Tony Swamy & The Band Of Executives – Disco Jiver (1978)
Lettermen – The Way You Look Tonight (1976)