Not the traditional Johnny Otis Show records you might know from Johnny's famous R&B years of the 50s – and instead a totally great record from the start of the 70s that's filled with funk, soul, and blues! The set really shows the way that Otis changed with the times – and the overall sound is a lot freakier and fuzzier than any of his earlier records – at a level that really draws a strong link to the solo work of Shuggie Otis – who was part of Johnny's ensemble at the time, and who makes some excellent appearances here! Some cuts have sweet Shuggie guitar lines – and vocals are by Delmar Evans, Don Sugarcane Harris, Margie Evans, and Johnny. The record contains two excellent funky 45 cuts – "Cuttin Up", an instrumental with choppy guitar, and "The Watts Breakaway", with good groovy vocals by Delmar. Other titles include "Mo Jo Woman", "Evil Gal Blues", "It's Good To Be Free", "Elim Stole My Baby", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Don't Stretch This Good Thing Too Far". All this, and the LP's got a nice Jack Davis (of MAD fame)cartoony cover of the band doing surgery on a kid that we assume is Shuggie. to boot! CD

Epic DJ Fontana (elvis presley's 50s-70s drummer) interview. The (pre-industrial) Wax Trax Records story – including the saga of the Jonny iii (Wax Trax house band). Czech prog-gods Plastic People Of the Universe interviewed. Little Richard is Jewish! 1950s country star Marvin Rainwater interviewed. The return, and self-destruction, of the Misfits. Flaming Lips interview. Don "Sugarcane" Harris obituary. Screaming Jay Hawkins obituary. David Lee Roth comix. 1960s psychedelic comic books explored. Interview with Gregg Gellar, master compilation producer, focusing on his "Sammy Davis Jr.-Yes I Can" box set, as well as the ins and outs of comp production. Plus Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Chuck Berry, rock & wrestling, comix and Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. as you've always imagined them! Magazine

A silly cover and title, but one of the most powerful records so far from Frank Zappa – a set that focuses the mad energy of The Mothers into a groove that really packs a lot of punch! The lineup here is filled with key talents – including Don Preston on organ and electronics, Sugarcane Harris on violin, Lowell George on rhythm guitar, Ian Underwood on alto, and Bunk Gardner on tenor – all players who are more than willing to go to the farther edges of Zappa's consciousness – yet also have the musical chops to make the whole thing come together beautifully! There's a bit more hard rock than some of Zappa's jazz leanings in this set – and titles include "March & Dwarf Nebula", "Didja Get Any Onya", "Directly From My Heart To You", "Toads Of The Short Forest", and "The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the traditional Johnny Otis Show records you might know from Johnny's famous R&B years of the 50s – and instead a totally great record from the start of the 70s that's filled with funk, soul, and blues! The set really shows the way that Otis changed with the times – and the overall sound is a lot freakier and fuzzier than any of his earlier records – at a level that really draws a strong link to the solo work of Shuggie Otis – who was part of Johnny's ensemble at the time, and who makes some excellent appearances here! Some cuts have sweet Shuggie guitar lines – and vocals are by Delmar Evans, Don Sugarcane Harris, Margie Evans, and Johnny. The record contains two excellent funky 45 cuts – "Cuttin Up", an instrumental with choppy guitar, and "The Watts Breakaway", with good groovy vocals by Delmar. Other titles include "Mo Jo Woman", "Evil Gal Blues", "It's Good To Be Free", "Elim Stole My Baby", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Don't Stretch This Good Thing Too Far". All this, and the LP's got a nice Jack Davis (of MAD fame)cartoony cover of the band doing surgery on a kid that we assume is Shuggie. to boot! LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy work from John Mayall – a double-length set from the early 70s, featuring some great help from American soul jazz musicians! The group here is small, and the lineup features Red Holloway on saxes, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Freddy Robinson on guitar, and Sugarcane Harris on violin – all in a mode that has plenty of Mayall's familiar blues, but which also takes on some jazzier inflections too! The vibe's a bit like some of Sugarcane's albums of the time – rootsy in the rhythms, but tighter on instrumentation, with an occasional dose of funk – thanks to heavy drums from Keef Hartley, the only UK player who seems to be working on the date besides Mayall. Titles include "California Campground", "Drifting", "Driving Till The Break Of Day", "Don't Hang Me Up", "I Still Care", "Burning Sun", "Sitting Here Thinking", and "Dark Of The Night". CD