​Tony Sheridan is the sixth British artist to be featured in 'The Brits Are Rocking' series by the German Bear Family. Sheridan's relationship with The Beatles is widely known. For example, Paul McCartney named Tony Sheridan as their teacher, with George Harrison especially learning a lot in the field of guitar playing. After all, Sheridan had much more experience in that area. His contact with the Fab Four during their stay in the band's early years in Hamburg made Sheridan, along with Bill Haley, one of the most important artists in German rock 'n' roll and was therefore responsible for developing the 'Hamburg Sound'. In addition to his contacts with The Beatles, Tony also recorded under his own name. These recordings, also known as the 'Polydor rockers', he recorded from 1961 to 1965, are now brought together on 'Skinny Minny'. Tony's credit is certainly that he managed to provide the covers of the American rock 'n' roll hits with his own twist.
That Tony Sheridan was not only a hugely talented guitarist but also vocally strong, is evident from the 29 tracks on this album. Unfortunately, the great success was not awarded to him. Despite his influence for The Beatles and the clever recordings under his own name, he was only given a footnote in the history of British rock 'n' roll.

'Ecstasy' is the code word for the fourth entry to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, where DJ Mark Armstrong will get you in the right mood with 30 appropriate tracks. As soon as you enter, a true artist will be resounding through the immense speakers. None other than Ray Charles welcomes you with the classic 'Hit The Road Jack'. And so it goes on at high level for more than 1 hour. Rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and soul of the best kind fill 'Visit 04, Ecstasy' in the more than fantastic series 'Sadie's Gentlemen's Club'. Highly recommended!

​'Do You Wanna Dance' is the title of volume 4 in the 'Atomicat Rockers' series. Well, asking that question is actually already answering it, because the 28 rocking and rolling tracks will certainly assure a crowd filled dance floor. The photos of battered cars, which are featured on the cover as well as on the inside of the digipack, prove that people went crazy at that time and so was the music. Traditionally, well-known and lesser-known artists complement each other perfectly.
As always with the Atomicat label, a lot of attention was paid to the composition of this album. No inferior rock 'n' roll, a high-quality sound and danceability score here again for the full 100%. Features that will certainly also will be found when issue 05, entitled 'Dungaree Cutie' is released on April 8th. Definitely something to look forward to!

​Our third visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club shows us that there are no taboos. After all, the music that drives the deejay through the speakers is of such a nature that when you enter Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, she accompanies you to the artificial world, where, provided you put the necessary money on the table, all your wishes are fulfilled. The 30 tracks on volume 3 once again give you a musical insight into the ins and outs of the club where Sadie and her company rule. Well-known and lesser-known artists provide the necessary atmosphere through 30 tracks, all recorded from 1952 to 1963. They contain rousing rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, doo-wop and a touch of jazz. Genres that fire up the flames of love during the third visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club.
For a next visit to the club we will have to wait patiently. That visit is scheduled for April 8, when the next volume titled 'Ecstasy' will be released.

​Although he is often only known for his hit ‘Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet)’, Jackie Wilson had a lot more arrows on his musical bow. This compilation will certainly convince you of that. Jackie Leroy Wilson, born on June 9, 1934, already had a decent musical career before his big hit. In 1953, he replaced that other great artist, Clyde McPhatter, as lead singer on Billy Ward's Dominoes. Jackie had just turned 19 at the time of joining. He stayed with Ward until 1957, after which he resolutely opted for a solo career. That choice was immediately sealed with 'Reet Petite', which brought him instant world fame. The title ‘Mr. Excitement' he acquired through his live performances, but the fact that he effortlessly switched from rhythm & blues to rock 'n' roll and later to soul, makes that title even more important. Musically he was one of the greatest, but privately it did not always run smoothly. Like his father, Jackie was also a heavy drinker. His second wife fired twice at him and three of his children died at a young age. He had to pay for his stressful lifestyle on September 29, 1975, when he had a heart attack on stage and ended up with his head on stage equipment. Severe brain damage left him in a coma until his death on January 21, 1984. Jackie Wilson turned 49. His immense popularity is evident from the fact that none other than Michael Jackson paid for Wilson's funeral.
The 28 tracks on this album, spanning the period from 1953 to 1963, give an extremely beautiful picture of Jackie Wilson's immeasurable talent. The first six tracks, recorded for Federal, highlight his time with Billy Ward and The Dominoes and are rhythm & blues related, culminating in the somewhat jazzy feel and doo-wop laced 'St. Louis Blues'. What follows are 19 songs that Wilson recorded under his own name. His mega hit 'Reet Petite' tops the list, but the other songs are certainly not inferior to this. Listen for example to the sublime swinging 'If I Can't Have You', the energetic rocken 'Right Now!', the cheerful 'So Much' or 'Sazzle Dazzle', 'Love Train' that showcases Jackie's vocal range and the majestic 'Baby Workout'.
These are randomly chosen tracks, because every song is like a finely cut diamond. Songs that can all boast of excellent and formidably performed arrangements.
The last three tracks are reserved for duets that Jackie recorded with Linda Hopkins in 1962 and 1963. Fantastic songs by an impressive duo!
The fact that the tenor Jackie Wilson had an enormous vocal range, rightly puts this album in the spotlights, and don't forget that this album, traditionally with Koko-Mojo, is once again bathed in a sublimely remastered sound. An absolute must!

​With volume 24 of the 'Southern Bred' series, we reside in Tennessee and Arkansas for the fourth consecutive album. As we already noted with the previous three releases around this region, there were a large number of artists there. They often had to wait for recognition until the 1960s when a real blues revival arose. The fact that the Tennessee and Arkansas recordings had a full sound certainly contributed to their popularity in the 1960s. The 28 tracks on this volume, titled 'Dippin' Is My Business', once again feature rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll from the genre's heyday. Recordings that, because of their danceability, will still provide a lot of entertainment in this time.
It has gradually become a tradition, because again volume 24 contains only the best classy rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, piano blues and doo-wop. Anyone who owns the other volumes of the 'Southern Bred' series will certainly not want to miss this volume.

​The mention 'Man That's A Hit, Get It Covered' that appears on the cover of the 'Rockin' Rollin' Covers' series, covers it completely. The two previously released volumes already made us discover a few things. Hits that did less well in a cover version than the original, but also covers that left the original versions far behind and grew into true classics. Volume 3 also effortlessly lives up to those expectations, with thirty tracks that represent both energetic rhythm & blues and white rock 'n' roll from the period 1952 to 1963.
The attractive thing about series such as 'Rockin' Rollin' Covers' is that in addition to sublime music, you also get a piece of music history. You often only know the best-known version of songs, but through this series you also get to know other interpretations and that is definitely a plus.

​Our second visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, better known as 'the house of sin', immediately says what Sadie's club is all about, namely 'flirting'. The lights are dimmed which enhances the intimate atmosphere, the deejay chooses the appropriate music and the gentlemen fight to win the favor of Sadie and her colleagues. The 30 songs on this compilation highlight the game of 'attract, seduce and repel'. Once again you can enjoy swinging and rocking Rhythm & Blues of the highest quality, with or without soul, supplemented with catchy instrumentals.
The second visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club certainly won't be the last. After all, 'Visit 03, Taboo' will be released on March 11, of which you are guaranteed to find a review here.

​With rockabilly and rock 'n' roll from the archives of M-G-M Records and sub-labels Club and Metro, we are already at volume 40 in the 'That'll Flat…Git it!' series. M-G-M Records was founded in 1946 by the production company Metro Goldwyn Mayer for the purpose of releasing soundtracks. The label soon took a broader view, dating a wide variety of music genres to the catalog. In the mid-1950s, when rock 'n' roll and rockabilly exploded, it was logical that M-G-M set its sights on that too. It is therefore also logical that a large number of artists could grow into international celebrities. This volume focuses on these names. Well-known artists such as Conway Twitty, Johnny Rivers, Buck Griffin, Marvin Rainwater and Andy Starr are paired with lesser known, but no lesser talents such as Gary Walker, Randy Atcher, Kenny Lee Martin, Rita Faye, Bob Riley and Ronnie Isle. The result are 32 tracks most from the fifties and a few from the early sixties that relive the heyday of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll in detail. Expect danceable, excellent guitars, whether or not supplemented with beautiful harmony vocals, provided rocking tracks, in a great sound.
Just to mention that there are no overlaps with volume 7 in this series, which also featured rockabilly and rock 'n' roll from the M-G-M treasury. And as befits the series, you will again receive a 36-page booklet, in which Bill Dahl provides you with all the info about artists and tracks. More than worth buying!

​If the name Charlie McCoy doesn't sound familiar to you right away, there's a good chance that you'll find his achievements in your record collection without knowing it. After all, a visit to his website introduces you to an immense list of celebrities to whom Charlie has provided musical assistance. Among them are Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, Steve Miller, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings…..and we could fill several more lines. Not surprising because McCoy is a multi-instrumentalist. When his mother gave him a harmonica as a little boy, it was the start of a glorious career. Later, Charlie taught himself to play guitar, bass, percussion, organ, sax and tuba. In 1941 he was born in Oak Hill, West Virginia, but for health reasons he grew up in Miami. In 1961, Charlie's big break came. Chet Atkins heard him play and immediately hired him as a harmonica player and session musician. The 1970s gave Charlie's success a huge boost. He was heard on more than 400 recordings and in 2009 he was honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
With this compilation, the Bear Family label focuses on McCoy's early years, long before he became a celebrated country artist. The album contains recordings that he made in his own name, but also as Charlie McCoy & The Escorts or The Gas Lantern and this in the period 1961 – 1969. Charlie's talent and craftsmanship also make him feel various musical styles like no other. The album naturally contains enthusiastic rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, blues and soul. In this way he works his way through a number of songs that have become classics. His unique harmonica playing is soon reflected in 'Gimme Some Lovin'', with which The Spencer Davis Group scored or 'Shot Gun' known from Jr. Walker, where he replaces the sax with the harmonica with verve. Masterfully he lets the harmonica sound on 'Harpoon Man'.
Also extremely beautiful versions of Little Walters 'Juke', 'My Babe', the rousing soulful 'Turn On Your Lovelight', Orbison's 'Candy Man', the poppy 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' by The Shirelles, Muddy Waters' ' I'm Ready' and The Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations', here in an instrumental harmonica version, just to name a few, but actually all tracks are absolute toppers. Charlie himself provided the foreword, after which Daryl Sanders elaborates on Charlie's career and his discography in the liner notes. Traditionally, everything is again illustrated with beautiful photos.
Screamin', Shoutin', Beggin', Pleadin'' by Charlie McCoy & The Escorts is an album of 29 captivating tracks, which sublimely showcases the talent of the young McCoy. A must without a doubt!

​For volume 23, entitled 'Rough Lover', we prick our ears for the third time to the rocking rhythm & blues from Tennessee and Arkansas. There is still so much to discover from that region, so this compilation contains a great mix of electric blues and rousing boogies with the piano in the lead. The region was a hotbed of talent and as a result produced a large number of well-known artists. So it makes sense that Big Maybelle, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim, Jimmy McCracklin, Aretha Franklin, Rosco Gordon and Joe Hill Louis, to name just a few, can be found on this compilation.
Like every volume in the 'Southern Bred' series, volume 23 is again full of catchy rhythm & blues, blues, soul and rock 'n' roll at the highest level.
You want more? Just a little patience, because volume 24 entitled 'Dippin' Is My Business' is scheduled for release on February 25.

​Without a personal invitation, you can't get into the mysterious Gentlemen's Club, where Sadie and her ladies rule. When the doorman opens the door for you after a checking look and shows you the way with an inviting wink, there is no escape. The red velvet-covered walls and the dimmed lights absorb you immediately. It is strange and outsiders label it as 'the house of sin'. The temptation eats your heart out and is reinforced by the music that the deejay carefully chose. Here's the setting for the new five-part Atomicat series, 'Sadie's Gentlemen's Club'. We do not speak of 'volumes' here, but of 'visits'. ‘Lover’ is the first visit in this series. Visit that is expressed in 30 songs, which saw the light of day between 1952 and 1963, supplemented by three tracks from the late 1940s. A colorful mishmash of hip shakers, popcorn, exotic rhythms, rhythm & blues, big band crooners and rock 'n' roll should not only provide the gentlemen a relaxing evening, but also ensure that money is in the drawer.
In short, 30 cool tracks that form the soundtrack for Sadie's seduction game. ‘Visit 02 Flirtin” will be released on February 15. Keep an eye on this site for reviews of this fantastic series!

​Last year, the first volume was published for Valentine, entitled 'Think Me A Kiss'. Now the Atomicat label releases 'Kiss Me', the second volume filled with 'Rock 'n' Roll Songs Of Happiness' and therefore the ideal soundtrack for a successful Valentine's Day celebration. Another 30 songs recorded between 1955 and 1961 that immediately put you in a happy mood. Catchy and danceable rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and doo-wop, which will perfectly support your Valentine's celebration.
So, get this album as soon as possible. It's a matter of being well prepared for the coming 'Valentine'!

​When you're talking about recordings that formed the basis of blues, rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, it is difficult to ignore the Sun studios. Sun founder Sam Phillips (05.01.1923 – 30.07.2003) was a man with a vision for his time, who knew which direction he wanted to take with the Sun label. Always looking for a new sound, he was not only the discoverer of Elvis, but also a number of other artists would later make a name for themselves. On January 3, 1950, he opened his Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis Tennessee. The Sun Record Company saw the light in February 1952, now 70 years ago. So for Atomicat and KokoMojo the ideal moment to release two volumes of '70 Years Of The Sun Sound'. A second volume throws the spotlight on the R&B Performers, but that's for later. First we focus on the first volume, which puts the Rockers in the spotlight. Mark Armstrong selected 30 tracks, which were released at 45 or 78 rpm or as an album track. You get these recordings in a chronological order from 1954 to 1963, so that you can follow the evolution of the sound and style that Sam had in mind.
And when we go over the track list, we notice that Sam had a nose for talent. Names such as Hardrock Gunter, Charlie Feathers, Barbara Pittman, Hayden Thompson, Carl Mann, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jean Chapel, Carl Perkins and Charlie Rich seeded their musical career at Sun.
Also worth exploring is the collaboration between the Sun artists in terms of song delivery, as well as support as studio musicians.
There is this and much more to discover in this beautiful collection of Sun Rockers.
On July 1, 1969, Sam sold his Sun to Shelby Singleton for $1 million.
This album shows what a great legacy Sam Phillips left behind. If Sam hadn't been so visionary, the musical landscape would have looked a lot poorer then and even now.

​'Rockin' Up A Storm', the third volume in the five-part series 'Atomic Rockers', does what our speakers are made for. The 28 rocking and rolling tracks again invite you to treat that volume knob to the right. Rock 'n' roll of an exceptionally high quality is the reason for this. Brilliant, catchy rock 'n' roll, doo-wop and compelling pop from the fifties and early sixties.
Like its two predecessors, volume 3 in the 'Atomicat Rockers' series is also one to blast through your speakers as often as possible. Satisfaction guaranteed!

​Last year, the first part of the new series 'Atomicat Rockers' was published just at the last minute. That part was titled 'Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie. The Atomicat label starts the new year right away with a bang with the second volume in this series, entitled 'Crazy Crazy Party'. That title completely sums it up. After all, with 28 superior rockers, compiler Mark Armstrong will give you a smashing first '2022 party'.
So lay down your drink for a while, grab that girl and dance till you drop. Go for it!

​'Atomicat Rockers' is the latest series to be launched by the label Atomicat. Over 5 volumes we are treated to the rocking and rolling songs that accompanied the often wild life of the youngsters in the fifties.
The first part is titled 'Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie' and judging by the cover it was also heavy in the middle of the last century. Composer Mark Armstrong collected 28 songs for this collection that reflect the atmosphere of that time. Rock 'n' roll and rocking rhythm & blues recorded between the early 1950s and early 1960s.
With this new series, Atomicat has once again hit the bull's eye. Incidentally, the first part immerses you in a beautiful sound quality, in the songs that gave color to the lives of young people in the fifties. With 4 issues to go, we can already close with 'an unmissable series'.

​December 15 marks the 100th anniversary of Alan Freed's birth. A reason for Bear Family to release a more than formidable compilation in the 'Memorial Series' under the title 'A Hundred Years Of Rock 'n' Roll'. You can certainly say that the legendary d.j. the ultimate top DJ in the fifties was in America. His radio shows were sublime, inspiring and connecting an entire generation of teenagers. But there was more. The rising popularity of rhythm & blues, which evolved into white rock 'n' roll, prompted Alan to program the original rhythm & blues recordings of the African-American artists into his radio shows. Freed certainly and perhaps even unconsciously contributed to the fight against discrimination through his Moondog Radio Shows.
With this album you'll enjoy catchy rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll chatted by Freed's inspired presentation and interspersed with commercials, while also witnessing the way Alan Freed modeled generations of DJs. For over an hour this album immerses you in the American radio nostalgia of the fifties. A unique experience!
As quickly as he rose to prominence, Alan's popularity also declined due to the ‘payola affair’, where DJs were paid for promoting records through their radio shows. This album not only provides a perfect picture of Freed's radio shows, but also the 36-page booklet, prepared by Bill Dahl, with extremely rare photos and graphics, tells the story of Alan Freed and the artists he cared about. Freed passed away, barely 43 years old, on January 20, 1965. Rock and roll never got a better friend.

​As Fabiano Anthony Forte, Fabian was born in 1943. He was discovered by label boss Bob Marcucci of Chancellor Records, who was charmed by Fabian's looks. However, he had to use a lot of persuasion to convince the young Fabian of a rock 'n' roll career. At first, things went a bit rough until he scored one hit after another for Chancellor in 1959. This compilation's title track, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman's 'Turn Me Loose', 'Tiger' and 'Hound Dog Man' were huge successes. The last three songs even landed him in the top 10 of the Billboard Pop Charts. The above hits are all on this compilation, but there is more. And that little bit more makes this collector a real must-have. In addition to these hits, he also recorded a number of albums for Chancellor that were filled with fine and above all sensational rock 'n' roll. A number of these songs can be found on this collector. Just like 'Break Down And Cry', the only song he recorded for the Dot label. Modeled as a cross between Elvis Presley and Rick Nelson, he became hugely endear to his female fans.
'I'am A Man' highlights the talent of one of the greatest. His musical career may be short-lived, but the songs he recorded between 1958 and 1961 effortlessly convince of his enormous talent. This collector, marketed by Bear Family, is therefore surprisingly good. Recommended!

​With volume 38 in the 'That'll Flat…Git it!' series we dive into the archives of the Liberty label and its sub-label Freedom.
The independent Liberty Records started in 1955 on the American West Coast and was originally specialized in film music. A year after its founding, legendary pianist and film music composer Henry Mancini signed on and stayed there until 1958. Although Liberty specialized in film music, the label later cataloged other genres, including rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. The 37 tracks on this compilation give a good idea of this. Eddie Cochran was certainly the most famous and successful artist at Liberty. In addition to Cochran, Johnny Burnette and Bobby Vee also signed to the label in 1960.
In short, in addition to well-known work, there is again a lot to discover on this compilation that can certainly be on the same level as the high flyers. And of course you get extensive info about the tracks through Bill Dahl's liner notes.

In America, the word ‘hootenanny’ is used for something or someone that one cannot immediately name. With us, the term more or less became established through the music program 'Jools Holland's Hootenanny' broadcast by the BBC on New Year's Eve. The album 'Atomicat Hootenanny' is not only a wonderful compilation to dive into the new year, but also a collection of 30 songs that you can enjoy all year round. Rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues and blues of the very best kind!
It is already self-evident, but this 'Atomicat Hootenanny' compiled by Mark Armstrong is again a bull's eye and ideal to provide your end-of-year parties with stylish music.

​With 'Shun Immoral Behaviour, We'll Raise A Ruckus Tonight' we arrive at the last rock 'n' roll commandment. Actually we are back to the first commandment 'Defy The Devil's Music, Dig That Rock 'n' Roll' and the circle is complete. We may be 'off' again and standing with our feet on the ground after the perils the other commandments warned us about, but they made us wiser, making us even more 'party-minded'. Of course that includes the necessary drinks and exciting rock 'n' roll. You have to take care of the necessary amount of alcohol yourself, the 30 songs bundled here will take care of the rock 'n roll. Once again, well known names including Wanda Jackson, The Treniers, Big Joe Turner, Stick McGhee, Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris and The Platters are paired with lesser-known but equally amazing artists.
In short, the tenth rock 'n' roll commandment again has to offer formidable rocking rhythm & blues and rock 'n roll. 'The Ten Commandments of Rock 'n' Roll' is a series well worth buying in full. You won't regret it!

​The ninth rock and roll commandment deals with the break-up of love and the return to being single. Responses can range from ‘I don’t care’ to ‘Darling come back’. Reactions that can also be found in the 30 songs selected by Mark Armstrong that fill this disc.
Rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, doo-wop and soul are abundantly present and again all 30 tracks are toppers. It is also a tradition that only killers are selected for compilations at the Atomicat label. Soon you will read on this site the review of the tenth and final commandment that commands 'Shun Immoral Behaviour, We'll Raise A Ruckus Tonight'. Watch out!

​After the previously released first volume, 'Rockin' Rollin' Covers' now also gets a sequel. Again you get 30 songs, most of which you definitely know in the original version. Some of these tracks have been covered countless times, while you rarely find a cover version of other songs. In short, enough reasons to go on a voyage of discovery.
It is a fact that only the very best covers were selected. 'Rockin' Rollin' Covers, Vol. 2' is highly recommended.

​With 'Fatty Patty', the subtitle of this volume, this miniseries also ends. A series that introduced us to lesser known and often obscure artists within rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Songs in styles like jive, stroll and bop that not only score high quality, but can also get any party going effortlessly. This album also lives up to those expectations. During 28 tracks you will once again be amazed by the number of songs that, despite their quality, could not reach the general public when they were released. Songs that didn't make it at the time, but which can now happily be enjoyed with great sound quality. Beautiful series! Keep up the good work compiler Marcus Juárez!