Chuck Berry “Chuck..Berry Is On Top”   Chess Records (1959)   A collection of rock and roll’s defining and most influential singles including “Almost Grown”, “Carol”, “Maybellene”, “Sweet Little Rock & Roller”, “Johnny B. Goode”, “Little Queenie”, “Roll Over Beethoven”, and “Around and Around”.   It’s good to go back and listen to these songs fresh every once in a while and feel the power of Chuck Berry’s performance, timeless music and rock and roll poetry.

(53 votes, average: 3.45 out of 5)

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Here’s my copy of Esquerita! (1959)   Capitol Records   Esquerita was an obvious influence on Little Richard.   Like Richard, a flaming, shrieking, piano-pounding rock and roll originator.   Amazing that he was on Capitol records with label mates like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Peggy Lee.   I put this one in a nice wood frame I found in a Berkeley record shop.

Tracks include:   Hey Miss Lucy / She Left Me Crying / Hole In My Heart / Believe Me When I Say Rock ‘n’ Roll / I Need You / Why Did It Take You So Long / Get Back Baby / I’m Batty over Hattie / Gettin’ Plenty of Lovin’

(56 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)

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Here’s a rare one for sure.   This is Jayne Mansfield in fine form on the cover of a British compilation called “5 Star Party”   featuring cuts by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Eddie Calvert, Russ Corway, The Dave Clark Five and Victor Silvester.   Columbia EMI Records.

(68 votes, average: 4.10 out of 5)

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Early Seventies rock compilation on Atlantic (Brazil).   Some odd inclusions here including songs by “Pollution,” “The Unemployed,” “Shotgun ltd.” and “Naza III” (?)   Maybe someone can can shed some light on those groups (Desiderio?)

(39 votes, average: 3.74 out of 5)

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“Live! At Papa Joe’s Northern A Go-Go”   The Starliners

(58 votes, average: 3.36 out of 5)

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“On the Road with Rock ‘n Roll”   Golden Crest Records (1957)     Before Richie Valens, Mando and the Chili Peppers were perhaps the first Mexican-American rock & roll group.   This is their only LP, though they continued to play around their home town of San Antonio into the Sixties.     Their sound was a mix of New Orleans R&B and rock and roll.   In 2004, after nearly 40 years and out of nowhere, the band played at the Ponderosa Stomp Music Festival in New Orleans.

(39 votes, average: 3.13 out of 5)

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Les Beatles Odeon EP “I Want To Hold Your Hand” “It Won’t Be Long” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Till There Was You”

(54 votes, average: 3.61 out of 5)

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Patti Smith Group   “Gloria” b/w “My Generation”   Arista Record (1976)   (“My Generation” was recorded live in Cleveland on 1/26/76.)   Cool candid shot of Patti and Lenny Kaye backstage.

This “warning” appears on the back “NOTICE:   “My Generation” contains language that might be considered objectionable”   What the fuck does that mean!?

(47 votes, average: 2.77 out of 5)

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Bill Haley and his Comets Decca Records. (1955) Includes “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” the song that introduced rock & roll to White America. “Rock Around the Clock” was a modest hit until the song was used as the title track of “The Blackboard Jungle” some 12 months later. His next record was a cover of Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll’ which was a top ten hit and the first rock & roll record to sell a million copies!

(58 votes, average: 3.79 out of 5)

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