Groovy Christmas 2024

Hey folks! Long time, no see! I've been busy, really busy. Anyway, got a cool Christmas mix with lots of groove, soul, funky-jazz and the like. Well, except one track - a rockabilly, early rocker. I just couldn't find the time (aka too lazy) to replace it, but it's all good.

16 unsung and/or rare tracks. The highlight would be Skafish's 10-minute plus "We Three Kings Fusion." Other favs in The Poets' "Merry Christmas Baby," Binky Griptite's "Stone Soul Christmas," Sparkplug's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and The Ramsey Lewis Trio's "The Sound of Christmas." They're all good. Merry Christmas!

Kosmische Modern Musik

aka Cosmic Music aka Krautrock. A dozen tracks in all. Several tracks have mixed genres (a bit of progressive electronic, math, motorik, space rock, etc) and not necessarily pure cosmic. Favorites include 3rd Ear Experience's "I Am Not Robot," Instrument's "Joke on Me" and Anatolian Weapons' "Heritage" to name a few. Isobel's "Nerve" and the rocking "You and or You or Me" by M185 are a couple more favs. They're all good. Enjoy!

Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock XII: The Ghosts!

This may or may not be the last Halloween mix of the season. In the meantime, another round of awesome surf rock. The Von Drats, Sonic Screwdriver, Marshall & The Martins, The Phantom Dragsters, a couple by I Fantomatici, Los Apollos, Insect Surfers, a couple by Speedball Jr., and more. Enjoy!

I Got a Rock! Old & New Spooky Tunes from the Pumpkin Patch 2

From Buster Doss and His Arkansas Playboys' 1949's "Graveyard Boogie" to Simon Stokes & Hammerlock's 2018's "Trapped in a Nightmare," 20 tracks in all. V8 Walkers' "Bad Moon Rising" is the BIG highlight and an awesome cover (CCR). Agent Twang!'s "Ghost Train," Ray Daytona and Googoobombos' "Even the Zombie Cry," Bo Diddley's "Bo Meets the Monster" and Marshall & The Martins' "The Purple Thing" to name a few more. Enjoy!

Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock XI

Great stuff, 18 in all. The Illumignarly's "Gnarmy of Darkness," the Phantom Dragsters' "Tiki Horror Island," Terminal Sunburn's "Planet of the Spiders," Baja Bug's "Surf and Destroy," The Prodigals' "Sharkskin Buffalo" and X Ray Cat Trio's "Surfin' Sasquatch" to name a few. Enjoy!

I Got a Rock! Old & New Spooky Tunes from the Pumpkin Patch

From the Deep River Boys' 1940's "Swinging at the Séance" to the Gig Experiment's 2019's "Shark Attack." Both tracks are favs in this mix. Roky Erickson and The Aliens' "Bumble Bee Zombie" is probably my top favorite in the mix. The Three Suns' "The Creep," Bob and Jerry's "Ghost Satellite," René Hall Orchestra's "Night Fright" and St. Paul & The Broken Bones' "Champagne Halloween" are a few more. 20 in all. Enjoy!

Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock X: Freakout!

It's a freakout all right. Atomicos' "Zombie vs. Ninja" is a big fav, especially how it goes a bit funky half way through. Ladrones de Guitarras' "Granja de zombies" is another goodie. And so is The Supersónicos' "Aloha Alien," Mr. Eliminator & The Deadly Vipers' "Nuclear Tsunami," Martin Cilia's "Freakout," Sheverb's "Nowhere Wolf" and the lengthy "Terror I" by Os Aquamans. They're all good. Enjoy!

Shock Rockers & Punk Monsters Halloween

Ahh, my favorite Halloween mix of the year. Don't expect the usual classics or anything remotely familiar. 18 tracks of experimental rock, horror rock & punk, rockabilly, and straight up hard rock (and no worries, there's nothing too harsh). The first track (Spectrex's "There's a Monster Loose") however is a funky, hip-hoppity, danceable ditty that's imo, a good mix opener.

Sematary Spawn's "Exorcism of the Dead" reminds me of a subtle Rob Zombie track, or similar. If you like Green Day, check out DieMonsterDie's "1000 Corpses Walk the Earth." Pop-punk fans should embrace The B Movie Monsters' "Mr. T vs. Dracula." Fans of modern Alice Cooper would probably enjoy Monster Mob's "Cannibal Girls." Fronkonstin's straight-up hard rocker "Scary You" is probably my fav.

The last track, Dracula and His Band The Draculas' "Swamp Thing (reprise)" a take on the classic, "Wild Thing" is a hoot. They're all worth a listen or three. Enjoy!

Good Time Halloweenie!

20 tracks of blood-curdling terror, for your cat maybe. All 50s & 60s sans a couple of 70s (the disco-ish "Soul Dracula" by Hot Blood, and Lewis Lee's "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"). Baron Daemon & The Vampires' "Ghost Guitars" is a worthy track, mostly instrumental. The Spellbinders' "Casting My Spell" another favorite. Simon T. Stokes' "Cobwebs" and Dave Gardner's "Mad Witch" would be right up there too. And can't forget Bill Carlisle's "Tiny Space Man." They're all good. Enjoy!

Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock 9: Terrorsurfer!

If you're a fan, you're going to enjoy. 20 tracks including artists The Centellas, Twangozilla, Thee Space Needles, Surfing Arcanis, Frankie and the Pool Boys, Martin Cilia, The Supersónicos, Plato Zorba, The Terrorsurfs, and more. Enjoy!

Halloween Haunts 10: Witchers and Witches

Contining with the Halloween Haunts series, all 50s and 60s sans a couple of 70s (The Wicked's "The Spider and the Fly" and The Wonderland Singers and Accompaniment's "Trick or Treat"). 20 tracks in all including Daddy Cleanhead & The Chuck Higgins Band's "Something's Goin' on in My Room," George Hormel's "Mysterioso (ZR-68)," Hans Conried & Alice Pearce's "The Invisible Man," The Weirdos' "E.S.P. Theme for Shock Theatre" and Annette Funicello's "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy." Enjoy!

Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock 8: Invasion of the Body Surfers!

It's that time of the month once again, and starting off with one of my favorite series - Halloween Horrors of Modern Surf Rock. 20 tracks in all including Urban Surf Kings' "Thunder Robot," The Frogenstein's "Psycho Rodeo," Black Magic Beach Party's "Zombie World of Wonders," Messer Chups' "Insomnia of the Mummies (Faster Version)" and Surf Aliens' "Tentáculos" to name a few. Enjoy!

Drive Baby Drive, Vol. 12: Cruisin' Modern Motorik

Note: All the missing volumes (#3, 4, 5, 6, 7) from this series are now re-upped.

14 tracks of modern motorik, bands include Camera, Tausend Augen, Anatolian Weapons, Solar Corona, Can Ràbia, and Verstärker among others. Enjoy!

Doo-Wop Ballads 3: Moments Like This [1954-64]

Lots of rare doo-wop this time around. The Hide-A-Ways, The Originals, The Charmers, Arthur Lee Maye, The Baltineers, Gene and Wendell, The Bel-Larks, The Relations (aka The Kac-Ties) and many more. Also a bonus track - I've included two versions of the unreleased '62 track "I Feel So Blue" aka "So Blue" by The Italics. The one version has the usual reverb in the vocals, and the other dry as a bone, as if the mic (vocals) was recorded directly into the mixing desk. It's possible that one or the either is fan made, or a label did a scrub remaster for the dry mix. Regardless, I kinda prefer the latter. Enjoy!

Doo-Wop Ballads 2: Love Is True [1951-62]

20 tracks including The Crickets' (not Buddy's old band) "You're Mine," Miriam Grate and The Dovers' "My Angel," Dimples' "My Sister's Beau," The Five Stars' "We Danced in the Moonlight" and The Four Fellows' "Soldier Boy." Enjoy!

Get Down on the Funk! 16 Down Home '70s Gems

Gotta get back to seventies funk. A mix of vocals and instrumentals. Big favs O'Donel Levy's "Bad, Bad, Simba," The Nite-Liters' "Cowboy," Jack McDuff's "Moon Rappin'," Niagara's "Kikiriti," Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul's "Give Me Back My Freedom" and Charles Kynard's "Greeze." They're all good. Enjoy!

That's What She Said! Volume Seven ('70s & '80s)

Originally not intended for the series, but I had several tracks drawing data dust still awaiting for eons and noticed many with female vocals. I wouldn't necessarily call the tunes the cream of the crop, but most are deeper album cuts. A bit of folk, soft rock, soft prog, pop and funky soul. Standouts include the alternate version of "Hold a Candle to This" by The Pretenders, Melissa Manchester's "Pretty Girls," Fanny's "Soul Child" and Gloria Jones' "Baby Don'tcha Know (I'm Bleeding for You)." Also, Frumpy's "Keep on Going," Mother Superior's "Mood Merchant" and one of the best versions of the Fab Four's, albeit aptly titled, "I Saw Him Standing There" by Maggie Bell. Enjoy!

SpookySeptober VI

Back to the oldies ('51 to '67). Carlos Casal, Jr.'s "Don't Meet Mr. Frankenstein" from '58; Lord Luther with The Kingsmen's "(I Was A) Teenage Creature" also from '58; The Cherry Slush's "The Wicked Old Witch" from '67; The Fabulous Five's "Janie Made a Monster" from '59 and Boots Walker's "They're Here" from '67 to name just a few. Also, the main title theme to 1966's "Island of Terror," a film that scared the crap out of us back in our youth. 20 chilling tracks. Enjoy!

Sunshine, Rainbows & Popsicle Farts 4: The Unsung Gems of the '60s

20 tracks from '66 to '69 and all super, especially The Sundowners' "Always You," Brian Hyland's "Rainy April Morning," The Berkeley Kites' "Alice in Wonderland," Plastic Penny's "Your Way to Tell Me Go," Paul Jones' "Free" and Bubble Puppy's "Lonely." Enjoy!

SpookySeptober 5!

Once again, Halloween in September here at the Groovy Library. And starting off this year, gems from the noughties/aughts. A mixed bag of experimental rock, indie rock, electronics, a dub or two, etc, and nothing harsh. Jason Beers' "Sasquatch Beatnik Poetry" is hilarious. I laugh at the title alone. 8-Bit Ninja's "Thriller" is a really good goodie. I used to listen to Chiptune a lot many years back (some call it Bitpop, 8-bit, Nintendocore, etc). The Thriller track is obviously that tune, and I love the 8-bit version, especially that funky groove.

Skunky Beaumont's dnb-tinged "Voodoo Train (Crispy)" is great but unfortunately, only a minute long. Mad Scientist Dorn's "I Know a Serial Killer" is another goodie, mind you the r-rated lyrics. The awesome and somewhat cute instrumental "Halloween Crab Dance" by The Swingsberry Clams is another goodie but too short in time duration. Fans of Tom Waits should enjoy Skeletons Out of the Closet's "They're Coming to Get You." The Holophonics do a good ska take on the popular "The Monster Mash." HEX's "Ghosts & Pumpkins" should appease the hip-hop fans.

20 tracks and all goodies. Enjoy!

Sweet Love! The Best & Breast of 70s Heavy Psych II

The fifth volume in the series. As usual, a mix of heavy, regular and unleaded psych, prog, hard but not too hard, etc. 16 unsung tracks and all great; Stark Naked's "Iceberg," Haystacks Balboa's "Spoiler," Charlies' "Tuesday Song" and Life's "Headhunter Blues" to name a few. Enjoy!

Smashing! The Best & Breast of 70s Heavy Psych

A mix of heavy, regular and unleaded psych, prog, hard but not too hard, etc. 16 unsung tracks and all great; Socrates Drank the Conium's "Something in the Air," Rockressio's "She Looks Like a Good Girl," Xarhanga's "Smashing Life (In a City)," Kris Kringle's "Sarabande" and Tangerine's percussion-epic "My Main Woman" to name just a few. Enjoy!

Rockin' Rollin' Doo-Wop 4: Ka-Ding-Dong-Zing!

20 rare rockin' doo-wop tracks from 1953 to 64. Great tracks including The Du Mauriers' "All Night Long" (probably my top fav of the mix), The Cadets' "Do You Wanna Rock" and The Penguins' "Ookey Ook." More goodies in The Quills' "Going to the Moon," The Crescendos' "Ding a Ling," The Magic-Tones' "Good Googa Mooga" and The Cadillacs' "Zoom-Boom-Zing." This mix is soooo good, a number five may just be in the works. Enjoy!

A Modern Motorik Kinda Night

And more yet of the good stuff. Verstärker's "Mit Glück" is a big fav. And so is Kosmischer Läufer's "Die lange Gerade." Sunplus' "RE" should appeal for the progressive electronic fan. The last track, Tausend Augen's "Blühende Landschaften" has vocals, and it smokes. It's also a big fav. Enjoy!

Popcorn Mania 15: The Instrumentals

All instrumentals, mostly sixties, a few fifties, and one from the early seventies (Michel Legrand's "Di-gue-ding-ding" - utilizes vocalizations/voice effects). Also, Werner Müller's "Bodybuilding" has spoken lines but no singing. All great stuff including Jack Eubanks, Jack Costanzo, Sonny Scott, a couple from Earl Bostic, and more. Enjoy!