Velvet Hammer On Polydor

[boba]

Does anyone here own the velvet hammer on polydor as an ISSUE COPY with a different song on the flip? It probably exists but is hard to find like most 70s polydor issues. I'm assuming it's not like a monster record because it would be known. If someone has it, can someone tell me what the flip is? I would also be interested in a recording to give to a group member (I only have it as a single sided promo). THanks.

[Guest]

My data tells me I've had a copy.

Polydor 14239 I Want To Be Your Show c/w I'm The Rock

But i have no idea what it sounded like, it was over 10 years ago, before we did soundclips and a history of the buyer etc.

I also have reference of two on Epic from 1970. Same group??

Now I'm intrigued.

[boba]

My data tells me I've had a copy.

Polydor 14239 I Want To Be Your Show c/w I'm The Rock

But i have no idea what it sounded like, it was over 10 years ago, before we did soundclips and a history of the buyer etc.

I also have reference of two on Epic from 1970. Same group??

Now I'm intrigued.

I've only ever found the record as "I'm the rock". At least i know the title of the flip now, thanks a lot.

I don't know anything about the epic records, but the polydor group is the same grop as on soozi and chila. It is the same group as high society on USA. They actually evolved out of the green berets on UNI. It's proably not connected to the epic group if the epic records are from 1970 because they were still the green berets back then. Thanks.

Edited June 14, 2008 by boba

[mischief]

Label scan here from Gemm.. a few for sale on there.

sorry should add maybe the info on the label gives some clues if its the same group

Edited June 14, 2008 by mischief

[boba]

Label scan here from Gemm.. a few for sale on there.

sorry should add maybe the info on the label gives some clues if its the same group

no common names on that 45 scan either. thanks.

[boba]

Bob, I'm sure there was a Velvet Hammer on Polydor through ebay the other week.

thanks, it was a promo without the flip, it was just "I'm the rock". Thanks.

[boba]

OK, so after 4 years of looking (for a completely non-indemand random record) I finally got a Polydor stock copy. The flipside is terrible, it sounds like Andre Williams drunk and singing out of tune, like he wanted to make sure that that side was never played.

I guess this ends the run of awesome polydor b-sides on rare stock copies.

[Quinvy]

I've always thought that "Happy" on Soozi was a fantastic record. Was this their first recording by any chance?

[boba]

I've always thought that "Happy" on Soozi was a fantastic record. Was this their first recording by any chance?

no, that's like their last recording. their first recording was walter and the admerations on lacindy. then they recorded 3 singles as the green berets on Uni. then they recorded one single as high society. Then they recorded that first Velvet Hammer single on Polydor. Then they recorded the whole LP. The first cover was the one with the girl, but apparently it was ric williams' girlfriend and he got mad so they changed to that weird design cover. Their last released record was just an earlier recording, it was the velvet hammer on chila. Phillip Davis their guitarist just remixed the high society track, it's not a new recording.

Edited March 18, 2012 by boba

[Quinvy]

My God, they were Walter & The Admerations...........

[boba]

My God, they were Walter & The Admerations...........

yeah, what happened was that walter smith was living in cabrini green on the north side and was a member of the Admirations, who had a hit with "wait till I get to know you". There is a dual lead on that track, he was one of the two guys. He ended up transferring to a south side high school and he met the other group and Ted Daniels produced them, initially trying to capitalize on walt's previous connection with the Admirations (but spelling the group name differently, I guess for legal reasons). Anyways, the group stayed together and Andre Williams started to work with them, resulting in most of the rest of their output (except for the high society 45). Walter lives like 4 blocks from me now.

[Mister Fish]

Thanks for the info Bob. Always wondered about the High society and Velvet Hammer versions as they sound so similar.Now I know! Cheers! The Green Berets as well, good stuff. Eclectic band..

Edited March 18, 2012 by Mister Fish

[boba]

Thanks for the info Bob. Always wondered about the High society and Velvet Hammer versions as they sound so similar.Now I know! Cheers! The Green Berets as well, good stuff. Eclectic band..

If you compare both versions of "I can't believe", it's pretty much exactly the same recording, except the vocals sound like they have been doubled on the chila record. They definitely weren't a band, they were a vocal group, and still sound great harmonizing which is rare.

[Roburt]

Weren't they on at DigDeeper in New York (as the Green Berets) a couple of years back ?

[honky]

Yes! Somebody should get them over to the UK - one of the most incredible nights of music I've witnessed. Here's a clip of them doing "Life of tears", backed by our friends the Divine Soul Rhythm Band:

[Prophonics 2029]

What a great video of that track Honky and I love the moves they busted.

[honky]

What a great video of that track Honky and I love the moves they busted.

Thanks - this one's pretty fantastic as well (the tail end of a 7-minute version of Man Oh Man):

Incidentally, we are bringing them back to Brooklyn for Dig Deeper on October 13, 2012 - there's time to book a flight from the UK...

- honky

[Russ Vickers]

WOW....that is something very special indeed, If Im home from the desert, Im flying to Brooklyn to see this in the flesh absolutely awesome...saw the clips before, but that has just reminded me how fantastic it was, a UK promoter should book these NOW....superb stuff, the LA Cindy sides being 2 of my favourite uptempo soul tracks ever....so much so, that when my son was born I sang 'Man O Man' to him when he was only a few minuits old.....

Russ

[boba]

for the record, I have since gotten a polydor stock copy with the flip. the flip is clearly andre williams just screwing around in the studio, intentionally making some garbage that nobody would every play (it's vaguely amusing). So it's not a lost ultra-rare gem like some of the polydor flips.

[Steve Plumb]

Brilliant info Bob

I actually didn't realise that 'I can't believe' is the same song remixed - Knew it was very similar and the writer and producer were the same BUT the same vocal recording, didn't know that?

I actually prefer the mix on the High Society 45 - I think i'll probably sell my Chila 45 now LOL

Cheers

Steve