Breath Of Life - Cooper's Still 2011

Kailua is a cool place now, but Kailua in the early seventies was epic. You could drive when you were fifteen, drink at eighteen, and you didn't have to go to town to hear and see some of the best bands in Hawaii. There was live music everywhere. My favorite place to take a date was Pinky's Broiler at the Pali Palms Hotel. The house band there was a group called Cooper's Still, and they played the greatest version of Sail On Sailor since the Beach Boys.

Recently a gentleman named Jud Haskins started a Facebook page dedicated to a.) remembering those bands and musicians that played in Kailua back then; and b.) finding out what happened to them. The page exploded and turned into a gathering place of not only the members of those bands but the folks who were there enjoying their music. I had thought I was the only one who remembered those days so fondly. Boy, was I wrong.

Not content just to oversee a nostalgic trip down memory lane Jud, a music producer by trade, gathered some of those musicians and created an album of new music called KAILUABANDS named after the Facebook page. It is crazy good and hasn't left my truck's CD player since I picked one up at Hungry Ear Records a few weeks ago.  Breath Of Life was the first song released off the album and captures perfectly the sound and feeling of the Kailua I remember from my youth, and maybe more importantly feels like Kailua today. Please enjoy and pick up the album by contacting Jud via the Facebook page.

Aloha

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Memories Of El Monte - The Penguins 1963

El Monte is out in the valley east of Los Angeles in California. The one and only Frank Zappa along with Ray Collins, a future member of The Mothers Of Invention, wrote this in 1963 as a tribute to the dances that used to be held at the old El Monte Legion Stadium. They got the feel of the old doo-wop just right and had The Penguins sing it. A local hit, it's still big with the older lowrider crowd in SoCal.

As a side note, my Uncle Bob went to Fremont High School in L.A. with the original Penguins. Their biggest hit was Earth Angel. Enjoy

The Penguins - Memories of El Monte 1963

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Happy Elvis Birthday Milner...

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Five Summer Stories - 1972

I saw the surf film Five Summer Stories at the Aikahi Park Theater when it first came out. I was never really the same after that. I love the original soundtrack and still listen to it often, but someone overlayed some Jack Johnson over this bitchin' scene with Gerry Lopez at Pipeline and it feels a lot different, but right too.

I also linked the original song, Pipeline Sequence" by Honk. For an old timey feel, turn off the volume on the first screen and play them both at the same time. Aloha.

Good Golly, Miss Molly - Little Richard 1958

Though he stood shoulder to shoulder with the original pantheons of rock & roll like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, Little Richard sometimes gets left out of the casual history of the music. Maybe it's because he's just always been so damn... weird. Where Elvis might have kicked down the door of mid fifties white bread sensibilities, Little Richard was right behind him screaming and firing a pink bazooka loaded with 'I-don't-give-a shit-what-you-think-I'm-here!'.

Always at war with his inner demons, his catalog is not as extensive as it could have been. But he recorded enough classics when he was rockin' that no jukebox worth it's salt is spinning less than a couple of his early hits. This one's on ours and comes from his super prolific Specialty Records tenure. Enjoy.

Good Golly, Miss Molly - Little Richard 1958

Moonlight Lady - The Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band 1975

It's Hawaii break time again. Chicken skin music from Gabby, his son Bla and Ry Cooder. Moonlight Lady was a monster hit in the islands back in my school days.

Found this terrific picture of Mr. & Mrs. Pahinui at their home in Waimanalo. They used to host legendary kanikapilas in their backyard that would go on for days. The family is again gathering musicians once a year for a tribute to 'Pops' down the street at the beach park pavilion named after Gabby.

The video is sort of lame but the music is no ka oi.

Aloha

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American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 1976

This song was an instant classic. Just one of those records that jumped out of the radio and forced your foot all the way down on the accelerator. Completely unique yet still reminiscent of Gene Clark and The Byrds with it's Rickenbackers ringing like a bell, and Tom Petty's pleading vocals starting with that way cool 'Chuh'. I love this song.

Happy birthday Mr. Petty and thanks for the rock & roll.

American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 1976

Ku'u Home O Kahalu'u - Olomana 1976

Missing the islands a bit today. This is what Hawaii sounded like when I was growing up. Still does to me. The group Olomana was named after the mountain that looks over our hometown of Kailua. Enjoy.

Aloha

Ku'u Home O Kahalu'u - Olomana 1976

Crazy Arms - Jerry Lee Lewis 1956

Crazy Arms was the 'B' side of Jerry Lee Lewis' first release. Boppin' but country none the less. The record after this (Whole Lotta Shakin') would place him next to Elvis in the rock & roll Million Dollar Quartet. But this favorite came out when country and rock & roll were still played side by side. Couple that with Gospel and rhythm & blues and you have a good idea what's in HJ's jukebox.

We listen to a lot of Jerry Lee. His 'Last Man Standing' album from a couple years back is still in my truck's player. He has a new album (Mean Old Man) just out this month. Do us all a favor by supporting this national treasure while he is still blessing us with his talent. Enjoy.

Crazy Arms - Jerry Lee Lewis 1956

Waitin' In School - Ricky Nelson 1957

Already a huge television star when he started recording not much was expected from him but Ricky Nelson was the real deal. Fronting a crack band and using Elvis' back-up singers, Ricky showed a smooth style and terrific judgment in song selection. The girls kinda liked him too. This is one of his first singles and rarely fails to get the room moving.




Waitin' In School - Ricky Nelson 1957

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry 1958

Johnny B. Goode is one of the 'Mount Rushmore' songs of rock & roll. Over used and over played, it is still as exciting as music gets. The opening riff became Chuck Berry's trademark and is as instantly recognizable as the opening to Beethoven's 5th or The Beatles yeah, yeah, yeahs. It was even shot into space so 'ittey bitty spacemen' could get a shot of rhythm & blues.

I would be remiss not to mention Johnnie Johnson, whose piano playing helps gives this record it's bounce and drive. Integral to all of Chuck Berry's early hits, he deserves a large amount of credit for Mr. Berry's success.

Always, always on the jukebox.

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry 1958

Mystery Train - Elvis Presley 1955

We have the 1953 Little Junior's Blue Flames version of this song on 78 in our home jukebox, but Elvis rocks the shop. Recorded at Sun and released again on RCA later the same year, Mystery Train was actually the 'B' side of 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget' which believe it or not was more successful.

To listen to this record now is to feel what it must have been like in 1955 for people first hearing this locomotive out of Memphis for the first time. Just three people on this recording and yet a sound so full and soulful that it still can't be duplicated. While Elvis obviously isn't the chart topper he once was, records like this are why the kids still know who he is and why he's still the King of Rock & Roll.




Mystery Train - Elvis Presley 1955

Rocket '88' - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats 1951

An early, early, early (first?) rock & roll record. This flat out gits it. Another staple of our home based jukebox, this disc is a bit misleading. First off there was no such group as Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats, Mr. Brenston was the sax player in Ike Turner's Rhythm Kings band but happened to sing lead on this. Ike, famous for his guitar work played the piano. And last but not least, although released on the Chess label, this rave is pure Memphis, recorded at the same Sun Studios where Elvis would later blow the roof off.





Rocket '88' - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats 1951

Crying In The Chapel - Elvis Presley 1960

Elvis Presley
January 08, 1935 - August 16, 1977




Crying In The Chapel - Elvis Presley 1960

Speedo - The Cadillacs 1955

This is one of our alltime favorite tunes. It's always on the Wurlitzer 1015's playlist. I first heard this jump classic in high school while rifling around through my uncle's old 78s in Mililani Town. He had this and other cool records like Scatman Crother's 'My Blue Heaven'. They were my introduction to early race records or more correctly Rhythm & Blues. This one was originally spelled 'Speedoo' but later pressings listed it as 'Speedo' like it sounds. My Uncle Bob is gone now but never forgotten, especially when I hear The Cadillacs. Aloha




Speedo - The Cadillacs 1955

Till I Waltz Again With You - Teresa Brewer 1952

We're celebrating my Dad's birthday today, though it was actually yesterday (a work day). This song by Teresa Brewer is one of his all time favorites and gets a lot of plays on the 'ol Wurlitzer in the office. We'll probably hear it more than a few times while I help him work on his '38. That's alright 'cause I like it too.

Ms. Brewer had quite a few hits during the fifties and sixties like Music Music Music!, Ricochet, Let Me Go Lover, A Tear Fell & A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl. This record was her biggest seller.




Till I Waltz Again With You - Teresa Brewer 1952

To The Aisle - The Five Satins 1957

George Lucas employed this popular hit by The Five Satins to give a hint as to where Steve and Laurie were heading. Track five on the second LP of the two disc soundtrack (used here as opposed to the 45) also includes a short but poignant aircheck by Wolfman Jack that illustrates the affection that listeners felt for the iconic disc jockey.




To The Aisle - The Five Satins - 1957

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters 1958

The Platter's had a lot of big hits back in the late fifties, none bigger than this. And although the song is as old as Milner's Coupe, written in the thirties by Jerome Kern, The Platters 1958 rendition perfectly captured that era's idyllic romanticism. They were consistently on the charts, yet Smoke Gets In Your Eyes proved to be the group's only recording to reach Number 1. George Lucas used the song's melancholy sweetness to great effect during the big Sock Hop scene in American Graffiti to convey Laurie's yearning and great love for Steve.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters 1958

Israelites - Desmond Dekker 1968

We've always loved this song. Just for the overall vibe. It was the first 'ska' record to hit internationally and reached the US top ten in 1969. Written and recorded by Desmond Dekker out of Kingston, Jamaica, the lyrics about a dude working hard for not enough money still ring true.




Israelites - Desmond Decker - 1968

Gee - The Crows 1953

The Wolfman played this tune early on in American Graffiti when the gang is at Mel's before the hop. Due to space constraints and perhaps because it hailed from an earlier era, it was not included on the soundtrack album. It certainly deserved to be, and even though you can get it on the later albums linked to the movie, it most assuredly would have been better for the heirs of the Crows had it enjoyed it's rightful spot on the album between Sixteen Candles and Del Shannon's Runaway. Considered by many to be one of, if not the first rock & roll record, Gee was the only big hit for The Crows.

Gee - The Crows 1953