Shadoks - the german label for deluxe-reissues – strikes again: All these titles are just in and can be ordered:

Freedom’s Children – 3-LP-Box

After several single reissues of their 3 albums here’s finally a deluxe-box-set containing all 3 groundbreaking releases by this Psychedelic/Heavy-Progressive-monster from Durban/South Africa. This comes complete with original cover-artwork and an elaborate band-history. For all still hesitating: this is definitely MUST-HAVE-STUFF!! ‘Cause without any doubt Freedom’s Children belong to the pinnacle of these musical genres!!

Days – Same

The debut by danish Progressive-rockers from Copenhagen on the infamous private Spectator-label. A typical product of the time with strong organ/guitar parts a bit in Procol Harum vein. English vocals.

Amanaz – Africa

Here’s one for those who think they know everything at all: a totally unknown Garage/Westcoast-Tribal Stomp from Zambia with some heavy fuzz-guitar and english/native vocals. This was released 1975 and though the cover looks pretty traditional it takes only a few spins and you know this is something else. Some rhythmic pattern identify it as african but this is far from your usual Afro-Funk! A real surprise!

Blues Addicts – Same

Straight and down to earth fuzzy Bluesrock from Denmark. In fact, this sounds so pure that some even called it Garagerock! Definitely too crude to have more releases than this debut on Spectator! Originals are even rarer than the other 3 rock-releases on the label (Days/Terje, Jesper & Joachim/Moses).

Les Temps Heureux – En Ces Jours

The Happy Times – In Those Days: a french Folk-Quartet with some nice sinister compositions (6 with english/2 with french vocals) heralded again as Acid-Folk, like so many similar albums but Folk(rock) with real-people-touch would do it more justice. Originally released as demo-pressing only, so forget to find an original!

Question Mark – Be Nice To The People

Another one for those who think they have everything: totally unknown Fuzz-Garage with african rhythms from Kenia (Obama-country!!).Released in 1974 but sounds much older though. The right stuff for those who dig The Witch from Zambia or BLO from Nigeria.

The Contents Are – Through You

Exact reissue of an ultrarare Folkrock/Westcoast-album with strong harmony-vocals from Iowa. Forget about originals as there’s only 100 copies made. But if you like the Beau Brummels, Daily Flash, early Love or Music Emporium this is your trip! Original songs only, no covers!

Instant Orange – Same

A double containing nearly the complete output of this virtually unknown band from San Bernardino/California. It’s basically Folkrock in Byrds/Buffalo Springfield vein but with the occasional longer Psych-track complete with organ and fuzz-guitar thrown in like the band recorded them in their later (!) years. Even though Instant Orange had a couple of releases at the time nobody noticed ‘cause they were all limited at 100 copies a piece!

Terje, Jesper & Joachim – Same

For some the quintessence of Danish Bluesrock, the debut of this 3-piece is certainly a great example of the Garage-Bluesrock on the infamous Spectator label. No frills and absolutely down to the earth!

All Shadoks-releases are limited to 450 copies only. Most have inlets and Blues Addicts comes on white vinyl. All have heavy 180 gram vinyl and ultra-heavy US-style covers.

Our prayers have been heard! There’re still signs and miracles: The Sonics (yes, Sir, THEE Garage-band ever!!!) are gonna play on Saturday (July 12) at the Fortis-Sjock-Festival in Gierle/Belgium (near Antwerp). Allegedly the original line-up (incl.Gerry Roslie!!) will be the headliner of the small Garage-Rock-Festival along with The Monsters (CH) and Thee Andrews Surfers Royale and Reverend Beat Man. If you wanna make a whole weekend out of it, the headliner on Suday is DKT/MC5 featuring Wayne Kramer, Dennis Thompson and Michael Davis. Besides that you could see The Dwarves, The Bellrays and Wanda Jackson! You’re gonna find the absolutely essential albums of The Sonics in the “Psychedelic/Westcoast”- and the “60’s & 70’s Singles”-sections. MC5-records you’re gonna find in the “Progressive/Hardrock“-section. 

                                                   

There have been lots of rumours about Index. Some said they were from California, while others swore they came from the Midwest. But actually nobody really had a clue. Because both of their only locally released albums from 1967 and 1968 were limited to 100 copies only, so they were hardly ever seen by anybody. Sure, there were reissues some 20 years ago but these are either long gone or didn’t have the original artwork. Now the original drummer of The Index, Jim Valice, finally released an official reissue of the debut-album (since both albums had no title this is mostly refered as “The Black Album”) and also set the records straight about the whereabouts of the band: they were actually from Grosse Point/Michigan! The Index is a must-have for people into Rising Storm, Bachs or Remains. They are blessed dilettants but that’s what makes ‘em charming. It somehow sounds psychy but I’m sure none of them had a clue what that meant. Overall: a milestone of Garage-Folkrock-Surf-Punk. Thank you, Sir, some of you might say, didn’t we had that already on countless private-pressings of all these prep-school-bands strummin’ their favourite songs by the Byrds/Stones/Kinks or Animals? Right, but this is better and has this special something that differs The Index from most of these prep-school-punters. This is for once in a way a justified rarity (originals would set you back $ 2000.- at least) and here’s your chance to own a copy of this exact reissue at a more affordable price! 

                                                  

After two bootlegs here’s finally an official reissue of the lone album by Swiss Beat/Rhythm & Blues legends The Sevens from Basel. Even the cover is as unglued like originals. Plus you’d get a big poster with an elaborate band-history on the back. The Sevens ain’t just your obscure collector’s Beat-album but besides the debuts by the Who, The Kinks, Sorrows, Shamrocks or Monks THE killer of the early Beat-stuff (if you put the Stones, Pretty Things and Them apart for being straight Rhythm & Blues combos)!! One of the guys is one of the most respected zen-buddist- monks/teachers in Europe nowadays. This fits somehow, don’t ya think so?

The new year starts with sad news already! Dave Day, the mad banjo-player of The Monks is dead! He died on Januar 10 of a heart-attack in his hometown Renton, WA. As sad as this message is to the many fans of The Monks, it was probably a great departure for Dave! He’s now reunited with his idol Elvis! Plus at the end of their lives the circle completed for both Dave and the late Roger Johnston, the original drummer of The Monks who died in 2004 already. On Monks-concerts in the States and Europe since 1999 both of them must have felt how much their music meant to their old and young fans all over the world. Unfortunately I was never able to see Roger but if you’d seen Dave’s grin after the Berlin and Franfurt-shows… He was happy and these shows, I’m sure, meant a lot to him. To me too! They belong to those milestones I was allowed to witness live! Play on for us in heaven, Dave! The unbelievable album of The Monks you’d find in the Rock’n’Roll/ Beat/ Rhythm & Blues/ Bluesrock/ Southern Rock-section, if you still missed out on it! It’s a definite must-have! And if you want to know more about Dave get yourself the book “Black Monk Time” by Monks-bassplayer Eddie Shaw. It’s still THE best report on the German “Beat-Scene” of the 60’s!!