• Ace Records is thrilled to be working with seminal singer-songwriter, toast of this year's Olivier Awards and all-round Sheffield legend Richard Hawley on this, the first volume of a compilation series of some of his favourite singles. This is a selection of 28 7''s that Richard has collected on his travels around the globe, through friends, family, collectors, word of mouth, thrift shop finds, pub jukebox gems and everything in between. Richard refers to the glue that joins these selections together as 'Little Bangers' as they are all mini hand grenades; bright lights that explode and fizzle out, some big names, some rarities, some lost souls, some obscurities, some by artists he actively enjoys knowing almost nothing about other than they want to get him on his feet and dance. Many are garage instrumentals, exposing the guitar-line as lead melody and the art of telling a story without lyrics.
• As Richard puts it, 'I’m fascinated by the 7-inch single because of the discipline of it. A 7-inch single can only contain a certain amount of information... So, you have to learn the discipline of cramming all that information and craft into a short space of time. If you imagine this album as a piece of bacon, there’s absolutely no fat on it at all. It’s just juicy meat. There aren’t flabby recordings, they are very nimble.'
• We're extra proud that the Hendrix Estate have allowed us to include Curtis Knight & The Squires' ferocious and never previously licensed 'Hornet's Nest' which naturally we proudly kick off with. We feature the five-minutes-plus long version that has never been released before. The pace never slackens, taking in the Shadows, Link Wray, the Troggs, the Champs, Jimmy Gordon and so many more besides. It's joyful, it's relentless, and you can listen to it on repeat for a thousand miles.
To give Richard the last word: 'My advice to everybody, is keep on the surfboard, motherfucker. These records have kept me on my surfboard for decades, you know what I’m saying?'
STAFF COMMENTS
Laura says: Richard Hawley was schooled on rock’n’roll; his dad was a musician in the 60s and 70s and growing up he was always surrounded by musicians. So, it’s no surprise that he’s compiled these 7” gems from that era, collected on his travels. As he says: “They’re called Little Bangers because they’re like miniature musical hand grenades!”
TRACK LISTING
SIDE ONE
1. HORNET'S NEST –
Curtis Knight & The Squires Feat. Jimi Hendrix
2. NASTY - The Time Keepers
3. PATH THROUGH THE FOREST - The Factory
4. GET ON THIS PLANE - The Premiers
5. SCOTCH ON THE SOCKS - The Shadows
6. QUASIMOTO - The Road Runners
7. LAZY REBEL - Twangy Rebels
SIDE TWO
1. SWINGING DRUMS - Ronny Kae
2. CUTTIN' OUT - Rockin’ Ronald & The Rebels
3. HONKY - The Ho-Dads
4. BLACK NIGHT - Cheryl Thompson
5. LONG LINE RIDER - Bobby Darin
6. POPPIN' POPEYE - Link Wray
7. HOT-ROD - King Curtis
SIDE THREE
1. FEELS LIKE A WOMAN - The Troggs
2. CUTTIN' OUT - The Pirates
3. WHERE YOU GONNA GO - Art Guy
4. NEB'S TUNE - Ahab & The Wailers
5. BUZZZZZZ - Jimmy Gordon
6. JUNGLE WALK - The Dyna-Sores
7. SURFIN' & SWINGIN' - Les Brown Jr
SIDE FOUR
1. TAHITI - Jimmy & Stan
2. BAWANA JINDE - Al Duncan
3. DEAD END PART 1 - The Executioners
4. REQUIEM FOR LOVE - Bobbie Gentry & Jody Reynolds
5. 3/4 MASH - The Champs
6. EL GATO - The Chandelles
7. IT’S NOTHING TO ME – Sanford Clark