Friday 18 January 2019


Storyville: A True Detective Tale
A few weeks back I heard this instrumental track that sounded very familiar, but after identifying it, via my 'what's that music' phone app, as The Krew Kats playing 'Samovar' I was a bit lost.
The Krew Kats didn't ring any bells? Google revealed a mere handful of recordings from 1961, and a UK group featuring 'Big' Jim Sullivan - guitar, Tony Belcher - rhythm guitar, Brian 'Licorice' Locking - bass and Brian Bennett on drums. 'Big' Jim Sullivan I knew and Brian Locking and Brian Bennett both went on the play with The Shadows
Next I discovered the tune 'Samovar' was actually based on a 1933 Russian folk song called "Polyushko Polye".
And finally that this song had been recorded by various artists, notably the Swedish guitar-group The Spotnicks as 'The Rocket Man' in 1962. That was the tune I was familiar with. Mystery solved.
It definitely evokes that early 60s sound, so for lovers of The Ventures, The Safaris, Duane Eddy, The Tornadoes, Bert Weedon and naturally The Shads here's The Krew Kats >

And The Spotnicks  version > www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVvGKZklugE

The eagle eyed among you will have spotted the original 45 single released on the 'His Master's Voice' label. I have a few HMV singles (pictured left), by Bert Weedon, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Manfred Mann.
The record label having long gone and now the retail chain HMV has gone into administration for the second time in 7 years, following poor December sales at the 97-year-old company. > Latest News Update

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