Neil Norman - Star Wars b/w Re-Entry (Vogue - 1977)

 Neil Norman and easy listening master Les Baxter produced several records under the name of Greatest Science Fiction Hits at the end of the 70's and the begining of the 80's. Thoses records were melting sci-fi soundtracks covers and original material, all made in a disco synth pop style. Star Wars was released on Greatest Science Fiction Hits Vol. 1 LP and as a 7" in France with on the B side Re-Entry. Re-Entry is the strongest track a little groovy gem. Starting with a traditional sci-fi synth sound, it then explodes in a blaxploitation style track with funky breaks, a massive bassline, a wah wah guitar and then morphs again into jazz rock. Warning: the sound on the version I got and I have posted is not very good.

01 Star Wars

02 Re-Entry

Download => Neil Norman - Star Wars b/w Re-Entry

The Voodou Juju Drug - Part 1 b/w Part 2 (Barclay - 1970)

I just found this gem in a Easy Cash shop near my place for 50 cents. I didn't have a clue how was this record when I digged it. I just found the title pretty cool: The Voodou Juju Drug. Back home I googled the name and realised that this 7" had already been posted on a very good blog (http://dj-alfonso.blogspot.com/) and was worth around 50 euros !!!! The first side, called The Voodou Juju Drug is a freaky breakbeat number with a nice sitar sound. Side 2, Killersteen's Voodou Juju is nice slice of pop afrobeat. According to DJ Alfonso, this record can be credited to library music composer Janko Nilovic.

Download => The Voodou Juju Drug - Part 1 b/w Part 2

The Small Faces - Me You And Us Too - Best Of The Immediate Years (Repertoire - 2007)

Created in 1965 and signed to Decca, The Small Faces were at first just another Mods bands among other ones. In 1967, Andrew Loog Oldham, The Rolling Stones manager, created his own label, Immediate, and signed The Small Faces after the band got into several arguments with its label and its management. The band, led by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, found in Immediate a place to express its creativity and signed its best songs, churning out hits after hits. If they were clearly influenced by the psychedelic air of the time, they are the best when they stay closed to what made their strength: raw pop clearly influenced by deep soul. In that sense, the last two instrumentals of this compilation, The War Of The Worlds and Wide Eyed Girl On The Wall are outstanding work.

The Small Faces were not an album band but a 7" band so this best of is the best way to discover and appreciate their music.

Download => The Small Faces - Me You And Us - Best Of The Immediate Years