(THE PIRATES -Out of Their Skulls)-numerous hit songs from late 50s to 60s-I4-LP

	A$		30
	$		20

DESCRIPTION ITEM: VINYL LP 33 1/3 RPM
ARTIST: THE PIRATES
TITLE: Out of Their Skulls
COUNTRY PRINTED: USA
CAT No: See scan
COVER: (Grade at NEAR MINT+)
LABELS: (Grade at MINT-)
VINYL: (Grade at MINT-)
TRACKS: See scans
Live Side - Nashville Rooms, London, April '77
A1 Please Don't Touch 2:02
A2 I Can Tell 2:19
A3 Peter Gunn 2:02
A4 Lonesome Train 3:01
A5 Shakin' All Over 2:24
A6 Milk Cow Blues 3:03

Studio Side - Rockfield, Wales, March '77
B1 Drinkin' Wine Spo' De' O' D 2:56
B2 Do The Dog 2:37
B3 Gibson Martin Fender 3:26
B4 Don't München It 3:33
B5 That's The Way You Are 2:42
B6 You Don't Own Me 2:47
REVIEW: by Fred Beldin
The death of frontman Johnny Kidd derailed the Pirates back in 1966, but the band's contributions to British rock were not forgotten, and their influence on punk-era pub rock bands like Dr. Feelgood encouraged the remaining players to re-form for this blistering comeback album. Out of Their Skulls pairs a raucous live set with six studio cuts, and if the new tunes don't match up to tough classics like "Please Don't Touch" and "Shakin' All Over," the band's uncompromising strength overrides any weaknesses. Over a decade past their hitmaking prime, the Pirates embrace the aggression and energy of the era and deliver a blazing, no-nonsense set of signature songs and early rock classics with all the lusty abandon, joy, and defiance that defines great rock & roll. Bassist Johnny Spence debuts as lead vocalist, and his big, leathery bellow is occasionally cartoonish but appropriate nonetheless. Mick Green shows off the idiosyncratic lead/rhythm guitar style that made him so influential, pulling buzzing solos out of each chord without losing the riff. Tub man Frank Farley is locked in solid with Spence to produce a rhythm section that is simultaneously metronome tight and bar-fight loose. The studio recordings lack the live set's searing heat, but the sound is cleaner, allowing for a more nuanced appreciation of Green's ringing guitar work; as a result, some of the sillier numbers (like "Do the Dog" and "Gibson Martin Fender") are still useful. American rockers unfamiliar with this very British trio should do a little digging and get their hands on Out of Their Skulls, a truly vibrant album that proves that youth alone is not what fuels the rock & roll engine.
COMMENT: Wikipedia
Johnny Kidd & the Pirates were an English rock and roll group led by singer/songwriter Johnny Kidd. They scored numerous hit songs from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, including 'Shakin' All Over' and 'Please Don't Touch', but their musical influence far outshines their chart performance.

Their stage act was theatrical in a way which anticipated theatrical rockers of the 1970s such as Alice Cooper (while echoing that of their contemporaries Screaming Lord Sutch & the Savages) and included full pirate costumes, complete with eye-patches and cutlasses.

More importantly, and unusually for bands of the time, they had only one guitarist (not two), alongside a bassist and a drummer. Kidd did not play any instruments on stage. This was influential on the rock bands of the 1970s: Led Zeppelin had such a line-up and tapes exist of them covering many Johnny Kidd songs in rehearsal, and it was after seeing Johnny Kidd & the Pirates that the Who decided that their singer Roger Daltrey should abandon playing guitar on stage.

Early days
The original group was signed to HMV in 1959 under the auspices of Walter J. Ridley. Their first single was the raw "Please Don't Touch". This became a minor hit reaching number 25 on the UK singles charts in 1959. The song has since been covered many times, most successfully by the team of Motörhead and Girlschool known as Headgirl.

After this initial success the band was reorganised to streamline the sound and visual appeal. Kidd would naturally take centre-stage at the front, but with Clem Cattini (drums) directly behind. Flanking Kidd on either side would be Alan Caddy (guitar) and Brian Gregg[1] (bass). Kidd would high-kick in time to the beat. In an attempt to re-create the feel of his recordings Kidd employed an echo unit to process his vocals, one of the first instances of a UK rock act attempting this on stage.

When the group appeared on Saturday Club between 1959 and 1961 Mike West and Tom Brown shared the vocals with Kidd.

"Shakin' All Over
Kidd and the Pirates' finest moment might have been the powerful song "Shakin' All Over", which features memorable opening guitars and solo from Joe Moretti,[2] and reached number one in the UK singles charts in 1960. The song and the group's proto-power trio line-up both made a strong impression on the Who, who would cover it in their 1970 album Live at Leeds, whose CD liner notes proclaim the original to be the UK's best pre-Beatles rock single. It was covered again in 1984 by the California band "Pegasus" with Tedd Armstrong and Steve Caton on their "Pegasus Takes Flight" EP. Music critics Roy Carr and Tony Tyler would later write that "Shakin' All Over" was the second-ever genuine British rock classic, following Cliff Richard's "Move It".

Despite some interesting cuts the hits tailed away in the shadow of "Shakin'". The swansong recording of this line-up in 1961, the B-side of "Please Don't Bring Me Down" turned out to be a minor UK rock 'n' roll classic. The follow-up "So What" featured a racy piano solo from Thunderclap Jones. Some of the Pirates (namely Clem Cattini, Alan Caddy and later Brian Gregg) decided to jump ship, and went on to join Joe Meek's the Tornados. Kidd cut a "solo" single backed by a bigger band sound. "Hurry on Back to Love" was more bluesy than anything Kidd had previously attempted and indicated a possible new path for him.

A new Pirate trio was recruited, Johnny Spence (bass),[3] Frank Farley (drums)[4] and Johnny Patto (lead guitar), who had recently backed Cuddly Dudley as "The Redcaps". Patto soon left and was replaced by Mick Green (lead guitar), who had also backed Dudley. The new line-up's first single with Kidd, "A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues" (coupled with "I Can Tell") only managed to enter the lower reaches of the chart toward the end of 1962.

Over time, a visual show had developed. The group would deck out in 19th century pirate costume in front of a huge backcloth of a pirate galleon, Kidd toying with a cutlass to great effect. Many a wooden stage received scarring from this prop until insurance cover could not be obtained for it. The group's German tours tightened their sound, as it did with many Liverpool combos who also made the trip. A projected single in keeping with the new sound, "Some Other Guy" was left unreleased in early 1963 allowing the Big Three to score their first chart entry.

The explosive rise of the 'beat groups' outshone the slow-burning R&B scene, and Kidd opted for the safety of Merseybeat with "I'll Never Get Over You", which reached number 4 on the charts in the summer of 1963. The recording session for the follow-up, "Hungry For Love", which also broke into the top twenty saw the Pirates record their own single. Both sides, "My Babe" and "I Can Tell", saw both tracks being recorded in one take. Green left to join Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas in 1964, and was replaced by John Weider. They also added organist Vic Cooper.[5]

The later days
The hits again tailed away and the long-awaited debut album, featuring the expanded line-up with Vic Cooper on organ/piano duties, was never mastered for release. One step behind the Beatles and losing ground, Kidd abandoned dual-tracking his voice and switched back to R&B, with mixed results. Green left to join Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas to form a twin lead guitar line-up, alongside Mike Maxfield. Eventually the group and singer parted company. The Pirates recorded one single, "Shades of Blue", for Polydor before calling it a day.

Kidd kept recording. His single "It's Got To Be You", and an unreleased version of Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose", showed that a mix of R&B and soul may have been where Kidd's future lay.

When Kidd was on the verge of a comeback with a 'New Pirates' group — Mick Stewart (lead guitar), Nick Simper (bass), Ray Soper (organ)[6] and Roger Truth (drums) — on returning from a cancelled gig, he was killed in a car accident in Bury, Lancashire, on 7 October 1966, with companion Nick Simper being injured.

The single "Send For That Girl" was released posthumously in November but failed to chart. This line-up of the Pirates (with John Kerrison replacing Truth) carried on in tribute until mid-1967, although there were no further recordings.

Post-Kidd - The Pirates
The best-known line-up of the Pirates, and also the only line-up ever given Johnny Kidd's blessing to retain and to record under the name "The Pirates" (Mick Green, Johnny Spence and Frank Farley) reformed in 1976. They played at 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington, in late November and early December 1977. This resulted in the band's inclusion, alongside Wilko Johnson, the Only Ones, the Saints, the Stranglers, X-Ray Spex, and XTC, on a hit double album of recordings from the festival. The Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival compilation LP (March 1978) reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart.[7]

This line-up did its final gig in 1983 (until reforming for the third time in 1999). After that the Pirates kept going on every now and then with many various lines-up, always including Mick Green, in the 1980s and early 1990s with John Gustafson (The Big Tree, Roxy Music) on bass and vocals with various different drummers, then in 1996-1998 with Björn Anders (bass/vocals) and Romek Parol (drums), before reforming with the Green, Spence and Farley line-up in 1999, which continued to perform until 2005. Due to ill-health Frank Farley retired from the live circuit in 2005, to be replaced by Mike Roberts. With Mike Roberts Johnny Spence and Mick Green continued a few more years.

The original line-up featuring Spence, Green and Farley recorded a number of reunion albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s; Out of their Skulls. Later more albums were made under the name Pirates with various line-ups, such as "Still Shakin'" (1987) with John Gustafson playing bass and taking care of vocal duties, Land of the Blind with the Green-Anders-Parol line-up,[8] which was released in 1998,[9] and Skullduggey by the Green, Spence and Roberts line-up in 2006,[10] The band dissolved on the death of Mick Green in January 2010.

Since then Anders and Parol have formed a new band, The Spellkasters, in 2013 with new frontman Pete Edmunds. An album Kastin' The Spell was recorded in Anders' Swedish studio for release on Angel Air Records in February 2014. The album contains new versions of Pirates tracks, "Gibson Martin Fender", "Don't Munchen It" and "Going Back Home", that Mick Green co-wrote with Wilko Johnson. The Spellkasters started a worldwide tour schedule in March 2014.[11]

Original bass player, and vocalist of the Pirates trio, Johnny Spence is still touring and recording, with a Finnish rock and roll and rhythm & blues-trio Doctor's Order. Their co-operation started in 2008, most of the concerts and tours have been in Finland, but they also performed at the International Gastro Blues Festival in Hungary in 2012. Johnny Spence and Doctor's Order have made two albums, Full Throttle No Brakes (2009) and Hot and Rockin' (2011), both on Goofin' Records label. Mick Green also recorded a six track mini-album Cutthroat and Dangerous with Doctor's Order, which was released in 2007, also on Goofin' Records.[12][13]

Another set of Pirates, with Joe Moretti (guitar), and re-uniting original Pirates, Brian Gregg (bass) and Clem Cattini (drums), has also played occasional gigs in recent years. Moretti played on "Shakin' All Over" and its follow-up "Restless". However, in this Pirates line-up it is Joe Moretti's son, also called Joe Moretti, on guitar.

Legacy
The B-side of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates' 1964 single "Always and Ever" was a cover of "Dr Feelgood", by the American blues pianist and singer Willie Perryman (also known as "Piano Red"), who recorded the song as "Dr Feelgood & the Interns". The name of the song is slang for heroin. The band Dr. Feelgood took their name from the Johnny Kidd & the Pirates recording.[14]

VINYL GRADING SYSTEM

MINT:
RECORD: New condition with no surface marks or loss of sound quality.
COVER: New condition with no surface marks, creases or wear.
NEAR MINT:
RECORD: Barely noticeable surface mark with no loss of sound quality.
COVER: Barely noticeable surface mark/ wear.
EXCELLENT:
RECORD: Some signs of being played with extremely little if no loss of sound quality.
COVER: Slight wear or creasing.
VERY GOOD:
RECORD: Obviously been played with noticeable surface marks & the occasional light scratches but exhibits no major loss of sound quality.
COVER: Noticeable wear on cover, seam or spine.
GOOD:
RECORD: Very obviously been played with very noticeable surface marks & exhibits major loss of sound quality.
COVER: Noticeable folding, scuffing of spine or edges, splits in seams or spine or fading of colour.
FAIR:
RECORD: Still just playable & exhibits considerable surface noise.
COVER: Major tears, wearing, splits & stains.
POOR:
RECORD: Will not play properly due to scratches etc.
COVER: Very badly damaged.
+(PLUS)/-(MINUS):
Slightly up or down in condition as appears in the comments above.
NOTE:
Gradings are done visually unless there appears to be a questionable surface mark on the vinyl, it is then put on the turntable to check. A comment describing the outcome will appear if this is the case.

BULK POSTAGE SAVINGS

WITHIN AUSTRALIA

1 LP:
ALL AUSTRALIAN STATES=$8.95

WANT TO ADD MORE ALBUMS?
ALL AUSTRALIAN STATES=$18.95 for 2-17 LPs

NOTE:
Double albums count as 2 LPs; triple albums count as 3 LPs etc


OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA -REGISTERED POST

Overseas parcels need to be REGISTERED.

1 LP:
Use the Post Calculator to find the REGISTERED POST COST of this album to your country

WANT TO ADD MORE ALBUMS?
Email me for current Registered post cost.

NOTE:
Double albums count as 2 LPs; triple albums count as 3 LPs etc

PAYMENT METHOD

WITHIN AUSTRALIA
Preferred Payment methods…
Internet Bank Deposit
Money Order,
Personal Cheque (waiting period 5 days till cleared)
Paypal in $AUD

OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA
PayPal in $AUD.

M4U GUARANTEE

I strive to provide an accurate grading to ensure a quality product.
But sometimes an error is made.
If you consider this is the case, then please contact me for the refund of your purchase.


FEEDBACK

When you get your item, please examine or test it.
If you are satisfied, then leave some positive feedback for me.
This lets me know you have got it and all is OK.
I will then leave positive feedback for you.
If you consider that you are not satisfied, then please contact me for the refund of your purchase.
If there is a problem, it can be resolved.

MY OTHER ITEMS

To view my other items, go to the top of this page and in the top right hand corner
click “VISIT STORE” logo.
You will find many specific artist categories. This will make your search must faster!!! Of course, when you are in my store you can always type in the artist name you want and click "search".