RAY BROWN & THE WHISPERS "Headin' for the Top" LP Aussie garage beat soul blues

	A$		43
	$		28

RAY BROWN & THE WHISPERS “Headin’ for the Top” LP Aussie garage beat soul blues

Ray Brown and The Whispers – Headin’ for the Top LP (orig. Australia Leedon MONO LL-31721, flipback cover)

Release date: June 1965.

On offer here is an EXTREMELY RARE original LEEDON issue of the second album by Sydney-based band, RAY BROWN and THE WHISPERS.  In a highly unusual move, the group decided to record twelve fresh recordings for this release.  There is an interesting and diverse selection of cover versions on this LP including Solomon Burke, Eddie Cochran, Joe Tex, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Swinging Blue Jeans, Fats Domino & John Lee Hooker.  However, the real highlight for me is the solitary Australian composition, “That’s Evil” written by BILLY THORPE and THE AZTECS’ guitarist Tony Barber (click on the YouTube link below).

weblinks:

(1) MILESAGO - www.milesago.com/artists/raybrown.htm

(2) Sound clip “That’s Evil” - www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvVJQHPUD9M

(3) Sound clip “Dimples” - www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8mRMjs35p8

SIDE 1

1.          Somebody to Love (3:10)                 Writ: Bert Berns – Solomon Burke – Jerry Wexler

2.         That’s Evil (3:05)                            Writ: Tony Barber

3.         Summertime Blues (2:30)                Writ: Eddie Cochran – Jerry Capehart

4.         You Got What It Takes (2:40)        Writ: Joe Tex

5.         Hands Off (2:25)                            Writ: Jay McShann – Priscilla Bowman

6.         Away From You (2:00)                     Writ: Gerry Marsden – Les Chadwick

SIDE 2

7.         High School Confidential (2:43)      Writ: Ronald J. Hargrave – Jerry Lee Lewis

8.         One of These Days (2:35)               Writ: Ray Ennis

9.         In Love Again (3:10)                        Writ: Fats Domino – Dave Bartholomew

10.       Summertime (3:11)                          Writ: George Gershwin

11.        Dimples (3:15)                                 Writ: John Lee Hooker

12.       Rockin’ Pneumonia (2:29)                 Writ: Huey “Piano” Smith – Johnny Vincent

PERSONNEL

     Ray Brown                 lead vocals

     Al Jackson                lead guitar

     Lawrie Barclay          rhythm guitar

     John Manners           bass

     Pat Jeffrey              drums

Recorded at Festival’s Studio in Sydney—Australia.

Produced by Bill Shepherd.

GRADING (also refer photos)

Cover:

front: VG(+) laminated: moderate handling wear with light ring-wear (outer rim), surface rubbing, creasing (incl. corners: top-right & bottom-left), minor scuffing along top & bottom seams.

back: VG(+) flipback—matt finish: moderate handling wear with very minor ring-wear (outer rim), creasing (incl. corners: top-left & bottom-right), sale price x 3 in small print (top-left).

Record:

visual: VG still retains a good lustre despite numerous hairlines & few surface scuffs.  QUALITY THICK VINYL PRESSING!

audible: VG++ sounds great despite some insignificant underlying surface noise.  AN ENJOYABLE LISTENING EXPERIENCE!

labels: moderate spindle wear, sale price x 2 in small print (both sides).

GRADING DESCRIPTION

COVER

M:      Absolutely NEW—perhaps still in shrink-wrap.

M-:    Slightly less than MINT.

EX:    Very light wear and/or creasing—defects will be noted.

VG++: Slightly less than EXCELLENT.

VG+:   Slightly better than VERY GOOD.

VG:     Some ring-wear and other signs of aging are apparent—defects will be noted.

VG-:   Slightly less than VERY GOOD.

G:       More obvious ring-wear, seam-splits, stains etc—defects will be noted.

M=MINT, EX=EXCELLENT, VG=VERY GOOD, G=GOOD

NB: Brackets indicate the cover is between one grade and another—eg. VG+(+).

RECORD

M:      Absolutely NEW—perhaps still in shrink-wrap.

M-:    Slightly less than MINT.

EX:    Very light scuffs.  Record played infrequently, with little or no reduction in sound quality.

VG++: Slightly less than EXCELLENT.

VG+:   Slightly better than VERY GOOD.

VG:     Lightly scuffed/marked record, with acceptable sound quality—defects will be noted.

VG-:   Slightly less than VERY GOOD.

G:       More obvious scratches, with some deterioration in sound quality—defects will be noted.

M=MINT, EX=EXCELLENT, VG=VERY GOOD, G=GOOD

NB: Brackets indicate the record is between one grade and another—eg. VG+(+).

Shipping, payment details and returns policy

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