Medina Records

I’ve been uploading a number of my mixes onto Mixcloud. All of these are already available in downloadable form here but if you just want to stream or are part of the Mixcloud community then check them out.

One of the great appeals of record collecting is the oddities. The records that no one except the most obsessed would give a second glance to. The groovy lounge records, micro press cabaret weirdness, creased promotional flexis, dull looking library LPs, privately pressed college jazz and of course those funky childrens records. I’ve long collected those weird kiddy funk LPs and 45s, usually battered and abused by their original owners and often binned at the end of their life they can be hard to find in playable condition.

Case in point the Do-Re-Mi Children’s Chorus and their take on the much loved (and much covered) Classics IV classic ‘Spooky’. I first heard this on the ‘Beat Actione’ compilation in the earlier part of the 00s and eventually landed a rather water damaged copy (thank you, eBay). It’s one of those must have records; a great blast of enthusiastic childish glee over echo-y drums, cheesy organ and jazz guitar. It’s everything you could want from a mildewy sleeve.

Do-Re-Mi Childrens Chorus – Spooky

I’ve long been fascinated by RA Records ever since I stumbled onto
Peter Rice’s web page on the label a few years back. RA were housed in Paignton (near Torquay) in Devon and even though it’s less than 100 miles from where I’m sat I rarely see anything RA shaped in my travels. So finally landing something in a local record shop which is actually a great record and not that dreadful Sid Gately record I keep finding (well, twice) is a joy.

Sharon Whitbread (who’s possibly responsible for one other record released in 1976 on Pye – will investigate) provides the albums vocals whilst ‘Fred’ (who’s real name is apparently Tony Heart) provides guitar. Sharon who was just 15/16 years old when she recorded this LP with ‘Fred’ (then aged 17) was clearly a big Buffy Sainte-Marie fan as she borrow Buffy’s wobbly vocal inflections and also covers Sainte-Marie’s ‘Must I Go Bound’.

The two standout tracks for me are ‘Lazeras’, a traditional American work song (usually know as ‘Po Lazarus’) that was also covered by Buffy Sainte-Marie. This is a similar take to Buffy’s with an added laidback funky bass guitar and backing vocals from RA’s Faraway Folk. The second is a version of British folk singer (and father to Kirsty) Ewan MacColl’s ‘Gypsy Song’ which adds bass, drums and a horn section into the mix and like ‘Lazeras’ it wanders into what I shall lazily label as ‘folk funk territory’.

Sharon Whitbread And Fred – Lazeras

Sharon Whitbread And Fred – Gypsy Song

I love ‘Selected Sound’. There’s a bunch of killer tracks throughout those copper coloured LPs.

First up the Berry Lipman penned ‘Act Of Treat’ from ‘Action & Tension & Space’. Monster synth riff, funky drums, stabs – a huge record. Still uncomped and unsampled I think.

Rex Brown Company – Act Of Threat

Then there’s Klaus Weiss’ super dusted moody synth cut ‘Survivor’ from His sought after ‘Time Signals’ LP. Electronic funk has never sounded so good.

Klaus Weiss – Survivor

One of my favourite finds from last year albeit in slightly battered condition. Sublime soul music from Nigeria.

Lijadu Sisters – Come On Home

Lijadu Sisters – Orere-Elejigbo