Little Bob Story were a R&B, Rock 'N' Roll, Blue band from France, who like many bands got placed in the New Wave genre. For those of you who remeber the compilation albums "New Wave" and "Catch A Wave" you will be familiar with Little Bob Story and if you are familiar with the former album then you will know the a-side of this posting."All or Nothing" is the standout track here, and one that I have always played even though it is definitely not Punk or New Wave with a sound that is very reminiscent of the "Rolling Stones". The b-side is OK, but try it out and see what you think.
Band: Little Bob Story
Label: Mercury
year: 1977
Tracks:
1. All Or Nothing
2. Hot N' Sweaty
Ripped from glorious (very) scratched vinyl
If you like this then you can try some more over at the Twilight Zone, follow this link, and the following are still available to buy:
| Light Of My Town CD |
| |
Come See Me CD
33 comments:
http://www.mediafire.com/?xcvxtyj4mxo
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According to Julian Cope's 2nd autobiog volume, Repossessed, the guy that compiled the "New Wave" compilation only put this and some of the other tracks on there as a joke .... which is either funny or sad, depending how you look at it ...
cheers, Craig
I did get a badge with my Catch a Wave record (size '10?), still got the badge, but not the record. Will be nice to hear this one again, probably like it moe now.
Cheers,
Robert - Stockholm
The French and punk was never going to work. See the French have always had a healthy disregard for authority, so punk never really touched their hearts, for us repressed English it was a chance to free ourselves from centuries of social bondage.
I have the New Wave comp. Had to buy it for New Rose which was difficult to get on single in late 77.
I bought the 'New Wave' comp when it came out in '77. I think it was budget priced.
Kind of a strange mixture of music/bands that left me feeling a bit confused. I think I heard a story later that it was Sire records attempt to market punk rock to the masses, and displayed their lack of understanding of the Punk movement (despite having signed some of the best bands - Dead Boys, Ramones etc.). At least it introduced me to the Flamin Groovies.
That was the first time I heard Shake Some Action. What a brilliant song. Still sends an ecstatic shiver up my spine.
The only French band I like :) I haven't heard "Hot'n'Sweaty", so I thank you for this post!
Hi Craig, I can well believe it, there was a real strange mix on the album, I didn't know what to make of over half of it, but found over time it grew on me.
I thought Patti Smith's Piss Factory was poor year ago, but now I like it. Am I just getting old?
Hi Rupert, ha ha, I think your right about the French. After listening to the reason Vinchucas formed (see previous posting) it made me realize that our feeling of repression in the UK may of been a little over the top (but hey, we still loved it and it was a great feeling kicking out.
The only reason I picked New Wave up was is that I just about bought anything that looked punk or new wave in 77 and 78.
Hi Robert, I've got the album, but never got the badge. Doh!
Anon, I'm with you it was mixed up selection of records, but as Rupert said "Shake some action" was (and still is) an instant classic and if not for the New wave compilation I never would have purchased more classic groovies stuff. If you haven't tried the Flamin Groovies then get their greatest hits for a starter, you wont be disappointed.
Hi Gumby, glad to help, check out the twilight Zone link as well
Yes, I downloaded "Off the Rails" a long time ago, as well as the "High Time / Like Rock & Roll" twofer. They're hot'n'sweaty indeed! :)
I wouldn’t completely dismiss the French contribution to Punk.
They did of course hold the two Mont de Marsan Punk festivals in
’76 and ’77, and the early Dogs records rock along quite nicely.
Yes...don't count out the French!!
There were a few really great 45's from bands like, Warm Gun "Chinese Gangster's EP " and Metal Urbane who did a few classics,(ie Panik!),as well as the Dogs.
Check out Metal Urbane on You Tube.
Don't forget, there were quite a lot of great 45's that came out of Europe.
Check out Sweden, Germany and Switzerland!! for examples.
Love this track, and love the New Wave album. Think the punk on the front was gobbing Colt45 (IPA?). Myself I preferred Breaker!
Anyone know who the punks pictured on the back cover were, or were they just models.
The album may have come in for criticism, but at least it introduced me as a snotty 15yr old at the time to Ramones, New York Dolls, Talking Heads. Couldn't go wrong really when the alternatives were ELO, Showaddywaddy and ABBA
Hi Anon and Bruce, I hope we didn't come over as knocking our French colleagues. I am with Bruce they did bring out some good stuff. Just a bit of fun :-)
Hi Paul, did the same for me.
I think the guy on the front cover of the 'New Wave' album was in a second/third division '77 era punk band, but i'm buggered if I can remember his name or which one.
Didn't The Crack cover "All Or Nothing" on a 45 in 1982? I knew I recognized the song from somewhere!
this sounds like good ol' rock n roll to me (and i'm french). anyway, this 'new wave' thing IS the joke. there's punk (60's nuggets), there's ska, there's rock... 'new wave' doesn't mean shit. it's a rehash of old trends.
NOW Metal Urbain was another thing. They did in 1977 what others (Alternative TV, Joy Division, Throbbing Gristle...) did in 1979. Industrial buzz, nihilist, oppressive. Faster. 2 singles and that was it. Those two single are the very essence of punk for me.
France's contribution to punk? Rimbaud, la Commune, les Situationnistes...
he he, McLaren SOLD it to you, and Sid was a posterboy for the masses.
which is a good thing
Hi anon, I never recognized anyone on the covers, I know on one of the ASFM postings someone commented that it was their friend from a band on the cover of New Wave, but I can be arsed with going though all the comments to find it.
Hi matgard, I have never heard the Cracks version. Is it any good?
Hi picpoul, excellent comment. I agree with you "Metal Urbain" are (were) brilliant, not heard of the other bands you mentioned do you have any of their stuff?
Just like to say thanks - I've been wanting to replace my old New Wave prerecorded cassette for a while (*) and this is a big help, as this song isn't on L*mew*re.
(*) As I haven't owned a cassette player for 15 years, except in my old car..
Hey, Little Bob Story was not punk, but their raw energy made sense in '77. Just like Dr. Feelgood did in the UK.
Picpoul is right : just as The Beatles came to Paris in '62 to get their 'French style' haircut and later had Pierre Cardin suits, McLaren picked up some slogans and theories ten years later at the Open Market record store led by Marc Zermati in Paris, France. Even the term 'punk'.
Yes, Zermati is the man behind the two punk festivals at Mont-de-Marsan but also behind Skydog Records (Flamin' Groovies, MC5, Iggy & The Stooges, Kim Fowley, aso). Thanks to him for touching our hearts in the early '70s.
What makes the brits the best in the world of pop music is their ability to sell it to the masses.
hey anon glad to help. I still have loads of old tapes to transfer, but not enough time to do it.
hey Eric thanks for the comment, I don't think anyone did say LBS were punk, but hey who cares.
In my personal opinion I never felt Malcolm McClaren invented punk (even though he claimed it) and most of the punk groups I remember were small groups plugging away (many of them on this blog) who never reached the masses. Buy hey who cares if the musics good, then the musics good, whatever its labeled as.
You're right Gary. Keep up the good things !
Great blog...great music.
But I can't believe nobody has commented that the track 'All Or Nothing' is a cover of the 1966 tune by....SMALL FACES
hi Rockula thanks for the compliment. Now you mention it, your right and I'm surprised I didn't mention it (especially being a Small Faces fan).
Have been trying to find All or Nothing now for years without success until tonight! Thanks Gary!
The New Wave complilation not only introduced me to Shake Some Action (instant classic as other contributors have mentioned)and hence the Groovies back catalogue but All or Nothing also made me research the original (I was 10 in 1968 and not very "hip"!)and I discovered that the Small Faces original is one of my top 10 songs of all time!
So thanks, LBS!
Anyway, have just seen that you have the Heads Down No NOnsense Mindless Boogie single by Albertas Y Los Trios Paranois so I am off surfing again ... !
Thanks for the comment Cool Rockin dadio. ep I found a lot from the New Wave album like many around that time, and this was just one of the gems I ended up seeking out.
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