CHRIS LUCEY "Songs of Protest & Anti-Protest" LP 1965 - weirdest story in rock

$

25

CHRIS LUCEY  (BOBBY JAMESON)

“SONGS OF PROTEST & ANTI-PROTEST”

Surrey     SS-1027

1965

EX / EX

FIRST PRESSING

STILL IN SHRINK

Best priced copy on eBay.  One other sitting at $73 incl. post. 
 
BEAUTIFUL copy of this cult classic, rare 1960s rock LP with the weirdest story in rock history AND at the good price.

Stored vertically in a smoke-free environment for over 52 years.

Bobby Jameson:  Early in 1966, Bobby Jameson recorded (under his own name) a single for the Mira label, "Vietnam" / "Metropolitan Man", on which he was backed by members of The Leaves, who had recorded Jameson's song "Girl From The East" on their own album, Hey Joe. In 2010, writer Jon Savage described "Vietnam" as "an all-time garage-punk classic – a vehement statement against a war that, by early 1966, was already spiraling out of control." However, at the time the record was barely promoted and did not receive airplay because, according to Jameson, its sentiments were seen as too contentious, and Jameson himself had a reputation as someone who had blown his chances of success. Jameson was featured, along with many others, in the experimental 1967 documentary movie Mondo Hollywood, directed by Robert Carl Cohen, in which he talked about his beliefs and career, and was filmed with his then-girlfriend Gail Sloatman and recording "Metropolitan Man".  Later the same year, he recorded two singles for the Penthouse label, another subsidiary of Mira. Both the singles, "Reconsider Baby" and "Gotta Find My Roogalator", were arranged and produced by an uncredited Frank Zappa, who also played guitar, with other musicians including Carol Kaye and Larry Knechtel. Jameson also recorded a single, "All Alone", for Current Records. However, none of the records were commercially successful. At about the same time, he was apparently considered for one of the roles in The Monkees, but decided not to pursue the opportunity, and for a time became actively involved in anti-Vietnam War protests in Los Angeles.  One report at the time stated that "his outspokenness and active participation in the recent Sunset Strip riots has acquired him the honorary title 'Mayor of the Sunset Strip'".

THE STORY:  (IN A NUTSHELL): An album was in progress for Surrey Records by an artist named Chris Ducey.  Ducey bailed out.  LP covers with titles had been printed.  Surrey hired Jameson to write new songs using the titles already printed on the cover.  They gave him a new name of Chris Lucey to fit in with an airbrushed version of the Ducey Lp covers. A name NOT of his choosing, song titles not of his choosing, an LP he never planned to record. Add no promotion and go from there to digure if Surrey got their money’s worth.  Ya gotta admit, it’sprettyweird.

The Detaails:  Jameson had no desire to work under an assumed name, but that's how the opportunity to cut an album arose.  Mira president Randy Wood had a deal in place to market his Surrey subsidiary in Europe, and had an album of songs by Chris Ducey, for which LP covers complete with song titles, had been printed.  At some point, Ducey backed out, leaving Wood's deal in limbo.

Wanting to save his investment, Wood had the covers retouched to read "Chris Lucey", and Jameson got the nod to "re-write" the songs and assume the name so that the covers could be used, while Ducey turned up as half of Chris and Craig, which evolved into Penny Arkade.  There are two interesting notes to all this: 1) The Penny Arkade compilation Not the Freeze, issued on Sundazed in 2004, contains a Ducey track called "You Couldn't Conquer Me", which is likely the same track that Ducey meant for his original incarnation of this album.  2)  Both Jameson and Ducey's Arkade band-mate, Craig Smith were under consideration as potential members of The Monkees.  Had casting decisions gone differently, it is quite likely that Chris Lucey and Chris Ducey would have eventually been able to trade Randy Wood stories face-to-face.

With the exception of the above-noted Arkade track, we have no idea what Wood expected this album (in Ducey's hands) to sound like.  What he got (in Jameson's hands) was probably better than he could have hoped for.  Rather than write just any old damn thing to fulfill the agreement, Jameson, hamstrung by having to use Ducey's titles, still manages to turn in an energetic set of dreamy, breezy folk-pop tunes, some of which presage later acts.  His "You Came, You Saw, But You Didn't Conquer Me" is akin to Strawberry Alarm Clock's poppier numbers (e.g. "Soft Skies, No Lies"), while, intentionally or not, Chris Isaak fashioned an entire career out of the sound and feeling of "I'll Remember Them".

Jameson is at his best on ballads.  Both "Girl From Vernon Mountain" and "Girl From the East" sound like potential hits. Therein lied the problem.  Jameson had quickly fashioned an album under dubious circumstances that he could be proud of, but that he couldn't use, since the album was credited not to him, but to an album cover printer's fiction.  Chris Lucey was dead the minute the album was completed, and Mira-Surrey followed not long after, leaving Jameson, just $200 or so richer for his efforts, with no choice but to pick up and try again.

Review:

The fine DISCOGS web site says of “Songs of Protest and Anti-Protest:  “Highly sought after and very rare high lost treasure from the US underground... awesome and magical electric folk/rock loner with totally alienated echoey studio sounds, early TIM BUCKLEY-like atmosphere, some cool swingin’ London type lighter moves, fragile and dreamy vocals...a sort of DARIUS backed by The LEAVES or JAKE HOLMES backed by GANDALF or KENNELMUS backed by LOVE...a sweeping sound that’s full of both darkness and wonder, a desert-mirage rattle-and-strum that suggests ENNIO MORRICONE dune-surfing in the DEATH VALLEY.”