Get Involved blog

Gus Jenkins - Copper Tan

This is another dusty 45 I found in Camden’s Sounds That Swing shop (see previous post) - thanks to the coincidence that a certain Ski Williams was on duty behind the counter the day I got it. While I was looking through the boxes of 45s kept behind the counter, Ski asked what kind of sounds I was into and then took the trouble to go through each box of 45s that I had looked through to see if there were any records I’d missed that might be of interest. Now that’s what I call service! This record, Copper Tan by Gus Jenkins and Orchestra from 1957 on LA label FLASH, was one of the ones he pulled out for me. It’s a kind of greasy instrumental number that’s hard to pigeonhole in terms of style - but it’s got an infectious rhythm – thanks to a pounding tight snare drum and a bongo-laden back beat. Joy!

The Earthworms - Mo’Taters

I picked up this record in Camden’s Sounds That Swing shop - which is, I’m told, soon to move from its cave-like premises on Inverness Street to a more traditional shopfront on Parkway. Big shame I say. The Inverness store is a national treasure and should be preserved as it is now FOREVER!

ANYhoo, Mo’ Taters is a greasy little ditty (the flipside, Fishtail is also great) which extols the virtue of the good ol’ spud - and is, apparently, the fruits of a collaboration between Little Milton and Oliver Sain from 1962. I only know this because, when trying to find out about this record, I found it among the gems listed on the wonderful tittyshakers.com website, which, if you like this, is well worth a visit.

Also, if you’re in London and you’ve never been to Sounds That Swing - get down there pronto!

Magic Roundabout by David Henckel, 2005

Late notice I know, but my esteemed colleague and learned friend, David Henckel, is exhibiting some new work (two paintings and a limited edition screenprint) at a group show at The Brick Lane Gallery – it opens tonight amid a sea of folk swigging free beer. Good times!

If you know me, chances are you know Dave. He’s one of my best chums in the whole world, he’s DJed at the night I used to run in Brick Lane, It’s Bigger Than, and it was Dave that created the AWESOME PARTY MONSTER bootleg of Daft Punk’s Da Funk spliced with The Beastie Boys Intergalactic that appeared on the 12” record that we put out a few years ago (Record of The Week in Phonica at the time). In short, the guys’s a legend! Those of you that have been to my gaff, will be familiar with Dave’s artwork as there are various canvases of his in the flat including this beauty:

Invasion by David Henckel, 2005

Private view is tonight between 6.30 and 8.30 - if you’re in the area, pop in for a delicious free beer!

The Brick Lane Gallery
196 Brick Lane (just south of the bagel shops!)
London | E1 6SA

See more of David Henckel’s work here: davidhenckel.com

Johnny Buckett - Let Me Play With Your Poodle

I’ve just got back from a few days in Barcelona where I got to meet and hang out with some really lovely folk - including some of Get Involved’s illustrious poster designers: Lupi and Martin from TwoPoints.net (who designed October and November 2007 posters) and also illustrator Kavel Rafferty (September 2008 poster) who runs the wonderful Record Envelope blog. Despite the weather being fantastic back in Blighty today, I’m missing Barcelona a lot…

While I was in town, thanks to a list of record shops that Kavel gave me to check out, I managed to buy some great records - including this Johnny Buckett rockabilly double-sider. I’m afraid I can’t find out much at all about this record - even the mighty Rockin’ Country Style website can shed no light on the date of its release - although it does show that Let Me Play With Your Poodle has appeared on various compilations over the years - some of them now rarities in their own right! It was, of course, the label and the track titles that made me want to buy this: Buckett is clearly a master of the double entendre! This copy I found is more than likely a repress, rather than an original… But it’s great all the same!

Turns out Let Me Play With Your Poodle is mere foreplay compared to the intentions expressed in Griddle Greasing Daddy on the flip:

Johnny Buckett - Griddle Greasing Daddy

Look out for a new Barcelona page in the Record Shop section of the site - coming soon!