In The Trashcan
Records GEM031
"Fever, Human fly, Stampede, Batman, Double decker
bus, Help you Ann, Little girl, J'aime regarder les
filles; what version do you prefer..."
I have more than 100 versions of Little Willie John's biggest hit, which he wrote in 1956, only 19 years of age. And as a big Cramps fan I simply had to find their 45 version. It's a great recording from 1980.
From their first release in 1992, they recorded this Count Five song for Mental Disorder. German Cramps lovers featuring Axel "G-string" Gieseking, who also ran Jungle Noise Records.
A rare recording by Brian Eno under the moniker of Winkies. Although it's from 1973, I decided to include it in this series. A weird art-rock version of Little Willie John's classic, but not as entertaining as the Cramps' version. A Muzak release. See vol 93 for the A-side.
Featuring a young Johnny "Tub" Johnson, pre-Headcoats. Great version of "Double decker bus"! It's the song why I bought this EP. They were the perfect mix between garage punk, Medway garage and psychobilly, even better than The Stingrays, who loved this outfit. Later The Vibes changed into The Purple Things. A 1984 release on Big Beat.
A folk version of The Cramps' "Human fly"? This New York sextet recorded it for their "Hush little baby" single on Cooking Vinyl in 1988, but also release an album entitled "Human fly". This is the 1989 Munich Records release.
Being one of the best garage outfits in the world they covered one of the best songs by another garage rock band that ruled that tiny little world: "Help you Ann", originally by The Lyres, and it's a tremendous version. Living Eye Records released it in 1998 on a splitsingle with ... The Lyres, who also covered a Chesterfield Kings garage classic, "She told me lies". Incredible double-sider.
Dutch rockabilly quartet paying tribute to their two fave bands by playing a Cramps song in a Meteors way. Singer Ronnie Pietersma was also active in Three Farmers Boys, another rockabilly outfit. A 1992 release on Dutch label Teen Scream Records.
The best Lyres song? Probably "Don't give it up now" and "How do you know?" and maybe a third place for "I really want you right now". This is its flipside, recorded in 1981 fro Ace Of Hearts and released in 1983. Both sides of this 45 appear on their quintessential debut album "On fyre" from 1984. One of the most legendary garage bands from the 80s, formed in 1979 out of the ashes of DMZ. So, this is not a cover, but the original tune; it is my prerogative to break my own rule, isn't it?
Fantastic version of "Stampede", the late 50s instrumental that led to The Cramps' "Bikini girls with machine guns", released three years earlier. Underestimated Dutch surf band. Recorded in 1992 for Korgar Records, the label's first release.
Yep, another version of garage rock classic "Hey little girl", by a Belgian band that chose the most ridiculous band name one could think of: Mods; as if a hardcore band would perform under the moniker of Punk. Their power pop sound is fantastic, though. Released in 1980 on the Ananas label, the label's only release.
Despite what the label says, it's not an Invaders song. The original was recorded by The Scarlets in 1959. I've got about a dozen versions in my collection, most of them from around 1960. Also The Cramps picked this tune for their 1989 single "Bikini girls with machine guns". Our Japanese friends, including Eddie Legend, recorded their version for Estrus Records in 1995.
Here this 60s garage classic gets a surprisingly genuine rendition by The Banned, a punk band from Croydon, London. It's from 1977, issued by Can't Eat Records.
An unsuspected gothic rock version of classic "Batman" as flipside to "So sure", their 3rd single, released on Red Rhino Records in 1984. Too bad it's an instrumental, so you can't hear the sultry voice of Anne-Marie Hurst, who was also active in Ghost Dance (featuring ex-Sisters Of Mercy Gary Marx) afterwards and earlier in The Elements.
Patrick Coutin was a French artist born in Tunesia who had a minor hit with this ode to girl watching, his debut single in 1981. He never equalled that success. Again an original and followed by its cover version.
Any Batman Theme works for me, even if it lasts less than one minute. The Bam Bams came from Filderstadt, Germany and recorded this in 1999 for Gonna Puke, a record label from Sicily, Italy.
Takis Gritzelis is a Belgian Greek who debuted with this cover version of Patrick Coutin's smash hit. French singer Coutin had his debut with this song in 1981, while Takis tried and failed in 1987. He moved on to New Beat a year later and disappeared soon after.
