My Favourite 45 by Pete Collison, The Fantastics!

THE FANTASTICS! are the latest UK nu-funk sensations featuring Greg Boraman (Hammond Organ & Electric Piano), Pete Collison (Guitar), Raydn Hunter (Bass), James Rule (Drums) along with Mark Norton (Sax & Flute) and Matt Wilding (percussion). They have enlisted soul singer Noel Mckoy to sing on a couple of tracks on their new album including a stomping funky update on the Small Faces, ‘I Can’t Dance With You’.

You may remember the band from their previous incarnation as the Rev Cleatus & The Soul Saviours and you may have heard them on Craig Charles Funk and Soul radio show recently. Their debut album ‘Mighty Righteous’ is released on March 9th on Freestyle Records.

Guitarist Pete Collison took time out to contribute to our ever growing ‘My Favourite 45’ collection and came up with this funky take of the Carole King penned classic, ‘I Feel The Earth Move’.

Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
I Feel the Earth Move (Prestige)

“Why is this my favourite 45? Well, for starters there's a few things that made me know I'd like it before I'd even put it on my turntable; that classic Prestige pointy arrow logo being one, and the knowledge of Bernard Purdie sitting behind one of the great Prestige "bands" being another. Then of course there was the fact that Boogaloo Joe would be letting rip with some sort of finger slashing blues somewhere”.

“The first time I played this 45 I was in that fortunate position of never having heard the tune before, which made it even better. By the time Joe had finished that solo I was (and still am) knocked out cold, and I'm still banned by my girlfriend from listening to it whilst driving! There's a load of influences in there , but it's Joe's own rapid fire take on the blues that gets me every time I hear him - gets me everytime!! Then there’s that Hammond solo, and Bernard Purdie of course - a band is only ever as good as its drummer..."

"But more important than any solo or technical abilities is the feel and vibe of a band, and it feels like everyone is having the time of their life on this tune. In fact there's not much that can top it for me - except for the full length version on Joe's "What It Is" LP - now that's an album and a half!”

Thanks to Pete for a great contribution! You can purchase a physical format of the new album here. Check out the 'Soul Child' single featuring Noel McKoy on lead vocals below. For more news and info on the Fantastics check out their website thefantastics.co.uk

My Favourite 45 by Lewis Wharton, Little Barrie

Little Barrie have been knocking about for awhile now churning out their own unique brand of funky, bluesy rock for the modern age. You may have seen singer Barrie – with his cool 70s Keef Richard’s hair do – rockin’ and a rollin’ with the current Primal Scream live set up. The funked up threesome are currently working on their third album with a new single due later this year. Their early Stark Reality 7” singles are to be given a limited re-issue soon, so if you missed ‘em first time round, keep an eye out on mail order sites like Juno Records, to make sure you catch ‘em.

Bass player Lewis Wharton, kindly took time out to contribute to our ever popular ‘My Favourite 45’ series, where we ask our favourite movers and shakers to pluck a 45rpm single from their record collection and wax lyrical about it for a minute or so. If you would like to comment or contribute to this series we would love to hear from ya!

The Cramps - Surfin Bird / The Way I Walk (Vengeance)

"To be honest I can take or leave the A-side (Surfing Bird), I prefer the Trashmen's original version but it's all about the B-side (The Way I Walk), and the artwork. This is The Cramps first single, they put this out themselves on their own 'Vengeance' label, the sleeve is just thin matt paper that has been screen printed on both sides but the effect is really cool. Probably the coolest record cover I've ever seen. I think they only pressed 6,000 copies, a lot of which went to radio stations in the US so I'm lucky to have found one over here, and the best thing that I was able to swap it for a load of records I didn't want anymore so it feels like I got it for nothing".

"'The Way I Walk' isn't really a dancefloor filler but it's one of the coolest sounding records you'll ever hear!"

For more info on Little Barrie check out littlebarrie.com. Meanwhile, check out the video of early track ‘Free Salute’ below.

My Favourite 45 (or 12"!) by Rowly, The Delays

Brought together by a shared love of The Stone Roses, The Verve and The Beatles, Southampton boys, The Delays have released three albums to date. Debuting in 2004 with ‘Faded Seaside Glamour’, ‘You See Colours’ followed in 2006 and their latest ‘Everythings The Rush’ arrived in 2008. Their 2004 Rough Trade single ‘Long Time Coming’ is a regular choice spin at RSG! indie do’s.

RSG recently caught up with drummer Rowly (pictured first left) and asked him to pick one of his favourite platters from his record collection and he came up with this psychedelic monster from the Verve.

Verve - She's a Superstar (Hut)

"Verve (pre 'the') were the first band I ever got really passionate about" claims Rowly, "I was just that bit too young to have heard the Roses when they came out (Black Lace were more my cup of tea at the time!) so by the time my tastes had moved away from Hawaiian shirted pineapple pushers the latest thing was the shoegaze scene”.

“I loved (and still love) a lot of those bands and I think there was some fucking great records made then but when I saw a Verve feature on 'Rapido' (arts show hosted by the Eurotrash guy) I fell for them above all others instantly. They had a sonically beautiful sound, a star frontman with an amazing voice and they could properly groove, a combo I didn’t know was possible!”

"I played the debut single 'All In The Mind' to death so the morning 'She's A Superstar' came out I ran to the record shop first thing, then ran home (faster), all the while staring at the cover which was like a waterfall on another planet (cool.)”

“There’s no way of describing music this good, other than to say to this day I don’t think a record has caused a firework show in my head like when I put the headphones on, cranked the volume and played this for the first time. Certainly not until another Northern band with a similar swagger and self belief released 'Live Forever' a couple of years later, but that’s my favourite 12"”.

Thanks Rowly for taking time out to talk to us. Keep coming back to RSG! for more great 'My Favourite 45' selections from our special guests. If you would like to take part or add your comments on the tracks featured to date, why not drop me a line? soulboy_69@yahoo.com

For more news on the Delays check out

thedelays.co.uk and check out the video to one of our favourite Delays tracks 'Long Time Coming' below.

My Favourite 45 by Andrew Needle, The Ruling Class

The first time I stumbled across The Ruling Class was late 2008, when they supported the Charlatans at Leeds Academy. I was impressed by their music and more importantly, their haircuts. Yes folks, hairdos matter in pop music! Rhythm guitarist Andrew Needle (pictured right) dropped by recently to tell us about one his favourite 45s and came up with this surprising novelty tune. The Ruling Class have recently followed up their sold out debut single, ‘Flowers’ with a new EP + 7" single called, ‘Tour De Force’. Check out their myspace page to hear more.

Two Little Boys by Rolf Harris, 1969

Some songs or albums you just want to know everything about them, and about the people that made them, but with this one I’d rather not know for fear of it losing the magic. I never knew anything about it because I was so young when I started listening to it I suppose. You’re not really bothered about stuff like that when you’re not old enough to read.

I know that this song wasn’t originally written by Rolf Harris but this is the version that I know. My mum used to sing it to me and my brother when I was 4. I think she got sick of us asking her to sing it every night and you couldn’t buy it in the shops anymore, so she rang up the local radio station and asked if anyone had a copy. Some nice lady drove round and just gave it to us.

I suppose you could say it’s a song of nostalgia for me, but I don’t think it is just that as I can only vaguely remember listening to but it but I remember being quite affected by it then. I think maybe when you are a child your mind is open in a way it is not when you are older. You are less aware of the boundaries and so you immerse yourself in a different world more freely and I think this is what happens to me still when I listen to this. I’m not normally into songs with a story but this one is haunting in a way that I can’t readily explain. Its strange how at first it comes across as this really saccharine, almost nursery rhyme, song but yet it transcends into something quite powerful and ethereal. There’s something ghostly about it.

I tried to play it on the guitar not so long ago and I just welled up, my voice went all funny. I was singing it with a load of tears flying off my face. Even now when I think of the lyrics I get a bit emotional. I’m a bit like Rolf when that dog died on Animal Hospital. It’s a bit embarrassing.

Apparently this is Margaret Thatcher’s favourite song as well which is quite worrying. She doesn’t seem like someone who would fully empathise with the sentiment. I can’t imagine her being a very sharing child. I can see her kicking the little boy off the horse so that she had more room to herself, and then possibly trampling over him because he didn’t agree with some of her policies, but there you go.

If you haven't heard this song I suggest you go listen to it. Maybe i had heard it now I wouldn't be so fond of it. I may just see it as some terrible kids’ song. But the lyrics conjure up a really powerful image every time I hear it. It’s the best thing Rolf has ever done (apart from those pictures he used to do, where you can't guess what it is until the end).

Andrew Needle, The Ruling Class

Song facts:

The song was originally recorded by British Music Hall star Harry Lauder in 1903. It tells the story of 2 brothers who share horses as boys and later share them in battle during war. The exact war was not specified, although it could be the Boer War.

Rolf Harris hit the number one spot in 1969 in the week Ready Steady Go! Editor Soulboy_69 was born!

The Ruling Class don’t sound like Rolf Harris, trust me!

For more info on the band www.myspace.com/therulingclassuk

My Favourite 45 by Steve Ellis (Love Affair)

Steve Ellis, legendary singer with the seventies blue eyed soul band The Love Affair, is back with a brand new album, ‘Best Of Days’ which includes a new version of the classic ‘Everlasting Love’ alongside a cover of Paul Weller’s, ‘Brand New Start’ and brand new compositions. Both, Roger Daltrey and Paul Weller also appear on the album.

The man behind such perennial Mod club spins such as, ‘Loot’s The Root’ and ‘So Sorry’ took time out from promoting his latest release to tell RSG! readers about one of his favourite 45s.

“There are numerous great 45`s of the sixties so many in fact it is impossible to actually make one of them favourite” say Steve, “So (I’ll go for) a random shot "Positively 4th Street" by Bob Dylan”.

“Ironic as my musical tastes lay deeply in Black Soul & Blues Music because to be honest they have just got soul, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, David Ruffin, SamCooke, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, Lightning Hopkins, Snooks Eaglin, Ray Charles, Paul Robeson et al, Tamla Motown, Stax, Oriole, Chess, Sue. Indefinable but they and hundreds more translated so much passion and feeling”.

“So for me to pick Bob Dylan is strange I suppose because Bob is no James Carr or Otis Redding or Etta James. Bob Dylan is to some a bumbling old man past his best, to some he is the messiah. Well folks sorry to disappoint but he is a human being and a great one at that. He has written so many classics it is ridiculous. Sure The Beatles and The Stones and to some degree Pete Townsend and The Who and not forgetting the sadly missed Marriott and Lane or Ray Davies and The Kinks all major players in the songwriting dept, in the sixties but Dylan keeps on writing them even to this day”.

“So back to the plot "Positively" is a great lyric in that it curses all the people who smile in your face and stab you in the back so to speak. The world is full of them but Dylan just brushes them aside stating "I know just where you’re at, you just want to be on the side that’s winning". Quality. I can’t say "The Hurricane " because it is 70`s but what a lyric......”

“I had a look through my CD’s before I typed this and the funny thing was I found I owned more Dylan than any other artist although the rest of the music is a very mixed bag indeed”.

“So from an old soldier/mod, Dylan takes 1st Prize”.

Steve Ellis ‘Best of Days’ is out now and can be purchased here.

For more info on Steve’s past, present and future, check out www.steveellis.co.uk

My Favourite 45 by Daniel Wylie, Singer/Songwriter

Daniel Wylie has released dozens of feel good, shimmering, summery pop classics over the years, both as former lead singer of the Cosmic Rough Riders and now as a solo star. His third solo album, ‘Car Guitar Star’ will be released in the UK on Neon Tetra on August 18th. For the prefect introduction to his work the recent 'best of' is recommended. The album compiles his solo work alongside his best work with the Cosmic Rough Riders. You can also read an old CRR interview with Daniel in our Archive section.

RSG! asked Daniel to pick out one his favourite tracks for our ever expanding 'My Favourite 45' feature and he opted for this obscure seasonal number from the seventies stage show, ‘Hair’.

Good Morning Sunshine by Oliver

“I first heard this song when I was 10 years old" says Daniel, "A few of my cousins and I were on our way to Glasgow Green carnival, counting our money to see how many rides we could afford to go on”.

“My cousin Anne had a little battery operated hand held radio with her and we were listening to Radio 1. It was a warm, sunny day and suddenly on came this amazing song with a melody sent from Heaven”.

“Originally from the musical, "Hair", there's a real melancholia mixed in with the happiness on this song, which in later years I found out is a difficult mood to capture in a song”.

“Some of the lyrics are plain dumb but isn't that true about a lot of the best pop music? Glibby glib glooby...”

“I still get the same feeling of euphoria when I listen to this song now as I did back then and am instantly transported back to that moment, walking along Old Rutherglen Road past the bowling green when this magical song came on the radio.”

“My children are also fans of the song since it's inclusion in an episode of The Simpsons”.

For more information on Daniel Wylie go to www.myspace.com/danielwylie

To purchase Car Guitar Star click here.

My Favourite 45 by Adam, Rowed Out Records

As technology gathers pace the punk DIY spirit of yesteryear seems such a long lost time ago. The buzz you got from vinyl, fanzines and word of mouth tip offs serve only to remind you of a nostalgic era long before t’internet, IPODs, CDs and MP3s came along.

Here at RSG! we feel it’s important to embrace new technology at the same time as keeping the old ethos alive. So, as much as we still love and desire vinyl, we treasure the fact that the internet is a unique facility for indulging our musical desires like never before.

In a world of fake celebrity and superfluous celebration for the non-talented it is both satisfying and inspiring to see small, independent labels like Rowed Out Records steadfastly keeping the spirit alive, releasing limited 7” singles from up and coming bands, whilst at the same time using technology to connect with like minded souls.

You can’t but help admire label boss Adam for his dedication to the cause. His mission is a pure labour of love, devoid of any selfish aspirations for fame and fortune. Of course, it would be nice to have a bit of dosh and gratitude along the way but that’s not the primary reason for wanting to stick your neck on the line and run your own label. It’s this grassroots level RSG! applauds. This label, like many other small, enterprising labels, represents the life blood of a music industry that never properly pays its dues to the people like Adam, whose obvious devotion to music and supporting others is beyond question.

Do yourself a favour and have a punt on one of Rowed Out records 7” singles and help keep the fire burning. In the meantime, we asked Adam to tell us about one his favourite 45s from his record collection and he has plumped a pure mod gem by the Eyes, ‘I’m Rowed Out’ –

“So good I named a record label after it!!” says Adam.

The Eyes - I'm rowed out (Mercury MF 881)

“There are many sounds from the 60s that will stay with me as they were the first records I got into as an 11/12 year old, 'Green Onions', 'Be My baby', 'Louie Louie' etc. and I still love the thrill of hearing something new from that period of music. Although 'I'm rowed out' is a blatant rip-off of The Who's 'I can't explain' is has stuck with me from the first time I heard it, which would have probably been in a London club in the late '80s ( I also remember top '90s mod band THE CLIQUE covered it). The intro is not as shrill as The Who's and the lyrics are a lot harder - it could have been written about a mod, the lyrics reflecting an attitude akin to a teenagers thoughts on living in the fast lane, sod the mediocrity”

“The opening lyric of "You got a grey suede coat and a soul like fire" sum up a mod's pilled-up attitude. It has parallels with The Kinks 'Dedicated follower of fashion' in creating a vision of some hip young thing lording it up around the London hot-spots”. “I named the second release on Rowed Out Records 'Soul Like Fire' as a tribute and the third release 'Join the tea set' is a lyric from another of their tracks - 'My degeneration'. Release #4 is entitled 'Do it for kicks' (from a line in 'Rowed out' - "You don't want money, you do it for kicks")”.“The Eyes are a VERY under-rated mod band, look at the back catalogue they left, they were ahead of their time, recording freakbeat monsters 'You're too much' and 'When the night falls' long before other bands took R&B and made it heavier”.“The record still gets plays in clubs now and is one of only a few British R&B tunes that can be heard between the US soul and R&B, proving it's longevity on the mod scene”.“A truly classic 45”.

For more information on Rowed Out records go to http://www.rowedout.co.uk/ or http://www.myspace.com/soullikefire

If you run your own label and would like to be featured in Ready Steady Go please drop us a line @ soulboy_69@yahoo.com

My Favourite 45 by Andrew D. Cannes (Yeti)

Andrew Cannes is guitarist with hotly tipped Yeti (pictured left), a harmony-driven psychedelic pop group who are set to release their long awaited debut LP, ‘The Legend Of Yeti Gonzales’ (Get Up & Go records) on June 23rd.

The first single off the album is “Don’t Go Back To The One You Love” a sprawling psyched up song cycle that picks up from where the Beta Band left off and is out now on iTunes and other digital stores or CD and 7″. Check out the video below.

Andrew has kindly taken time out to delve into his record collection to pick out one of his favourite soul singles and tell us why he loves it so much for our ever popular ‘My Favourite 45’ series…

TELL IT LIKE IT IS – AARON NEVILLE

“It’s always amusing to look at a photo of Aaron Neville while listening to his music" says Andrew, "the man is a mountain: muscles everywhere, tight t-shirt with tattoos, earrings. You wouldn’t mess with him in a dark alley. But then you hear his voice, and you just want protect him – the man is crying out for a cuddle. Haunting, delicate and yet raw, Neville’s voice is one of the most unique in the history of recorded music. Dylan once described Neville (along with my other personal favourite from New Orleans, Irma Thomas) as being on a “higher level”. To me, Neville is the badder, New Orleans version of Carl Wilson, with a super-heavy dose of drugs, knock-backs and prison thrown in. In “Tell It Like It Is”, his voice conveys a level of hurt and raw emotion that has become alien to modern music”.

“And what about the first verse? Coupled with Neville’s delivery, it’s a pure knock-out”

"If you want something to play with
Go and find yourself a toy
Baby my time is too expensive
And I'm not a little boy”

“My favourite rhyme in the song is “serious/furious”, mainly because of the way Neville sings it. It simply wouldn’t be the same if it had been, say, Diana Ross”.

“Apparently it took Lee Diamond 15 minutes to write this song, which isn’t as short as it sounds. After all, if you’re going to name a song “Tell It Like It Is” and mean it, you should really get straight to the point”.

Thanks to Andrew for sending us this fantastic article. Keep coming back for more guest contributions. If you are in a band and would like some free publicity send us your views on one of your own 45s and we'll do the rest!

Yeti are Graham Blacow – Drums; Andrew Cannes - Electric, Vocals; John Hassall - Bass, Vocals; Mark “Harmony” Underwood - Acoustic, Vocals

For more information go to the bands’ website yetigonzales.com

Order your copy of 'The Legend Of Yeti Gonzales’ here.

My Favourite 45 by Paolo Hewitt, Author

The Ronettes – Be My Baby

Ace author and wannabe Soprano(!), Paolo Hewitt, reveals why he digs those fabulous sixties girl group sounds…

(To be spoken in a Soprano voice...)

“Everyone is talking at me, telling me their fave rave on 45. What the fuck. I gotta disagree wit all of them because round here at Paolo's, the greatest single ever made is quite simply Be My Baby by The Ronettes”. ”Why? Why the fuck not? You got something better? No you haven't and you know why? Because it don't get no better than this. From that drum beat at the start, the way the instruments kick in, those lyrics…”

”For every kiss you give me / I'll give you three”

“…the production, the singing, the way those three girls look with their tight dresses and their haircuts and their brown flashing eyes, Jesus, breaks my heart every time. And that's the point. I have never heard this record and gotten tired off it. Never”.

“You hear some tunes you like a lot and then they come on the radio once more and you think, okay enough already. Not with this baby you don't. It is just pure beautiful magic all the way. Now stop breaking my balls and let me get back to serving people. Okay. What the fuck do you want meatball?"

Paolo Hewitt has written dozens of great novels and biographies. RSG! highly recommends ‘The Soul Stylists’ and ‘The Sharper Word’, two essential items for anyone with a love of Mod fashion and culture. You can purchase these and lots more by using the link below.

My Favourite 45 by Eddie Piller, DJ

TYRONE DAVIS - IS IT SOMETHING YOU'VE GOT - DAKAR

Eddie Piller founded Acid Jazz Records in 1987 with Gilles Peterson. Today, Acid Jazz goes from strength to strength releasing classic grooves both, old and new. Eddie still DJs regularly alongside his many stints on radio shows. Eddie kindly took time out of his busy schedule to tell RSG a tale about one of his all time favourite 45s from his record collection.

“I remember exactly where I was when I first heard this record. I was in the back room of the legendary SPECIAL BRANCH night that was held at Streatham Ice Rink back in 1985. A DJ called Dave Brown was spinning jazz and a little bit of two step soul when suddenly; BANG! It hit me right in the face. A long lazy guitar riff intro followed by simply the best brass line ever. It was the vocals that really got me though...'there must be something that I'm missing, but is it something she's got?' delivered in a laconic, honey drenched Mississippi drawl”.

“I pestered the DJ, wrote down the details and by the following weekend I had located a copy for a princely £2”.“That same copy stayed in my DJ box and set for the following 21 years and I never missed an opportunity to play it. It became my signature tune!”

“Fast forward to Christmas 2006 and I had just finished recording the BBC Northern Soul New Years Eve special show and left the studio to play a gig in Deptford. I had the 34 records used for the recording in a BBC box and decided that I didn’t want to leave the box in my car boot in case anyone nicked the car”.

“Later that evening the box was stolen from behind the DJ decks at the gig. Well over a grand's worth of singles but the only one I really cared about was my special Tyrone 45. I was so gutted that I toyed with the idea of giving up playing records for a living. Thank you Deptford”.

“Henry Storch from Unique, my German DJ partner gave me his copy, but it wasn’t really the point. I had lost MY copy. The record still only sells for a fiver but it is a thing of great beauty. Buy it.”

For all the latest Acid Jazz news and releases check out the official site www.acidjazz.co.uk

Catch up with Eddie’s latest adventures behind the wheels of steel at his myspace page www.myspace.com/eddiepiller

My favourite 45 by Ian Moore, Comedian

Last month, on a night out at Jongleurs, I had the pleasure of stumbling across a comedian called Ian Moore. Not only is Ian one of the funniest comics I have seen, he is also a lover of all things Mod and a massive music fan to boot.

Ian has kindly taken the time out to contribute to our 'My Fave 45' series and he has plumped for this Small Faces related classic from 1968.

PP. Arnold - (If You Think You're) Groovy (Immediate)

"I once tried to finish with a girl by using Woody Allen’s convoluted joke about ‘needing the eggs’, about halfway through the object of my dwindled desire was so confused she decided to finish with me instead because I was ‘doin’ ‘er ‘ead in’".

"The moral of the story is, if you’re going to break up with someone, make it short, sweet and first. However, if you’re not one for advice, try using this absolute belter from PP Arnold & The Small Faces. Written by the criminally underrated Marriot & Lane, it shows that the Small Faces were much more than just another British R&B band".

"Beginning with a pastoral mix of guitar and flutes, Arnold laments that she is being held back by her relationship, at which point Kenny Jones’ drums wake her from her reverie and she kicks off big time with the help of Marriot on backing vocals. It is quite simply sumptuous".

If somebody dumped me like that I’d be bloody honoured".

I.Moore April 2008

Check out Ian's website for tour dates and lots more info @ www.ianmoore.info/.

Watch PP Arnold blasting out this classic song courtesy of youtube below...

My favourite 45 by Steve Luigi, DJ

RSG! has been asking our favourite bands, DJs and fellow music junkies to pick a favourite 45s from their personal record collection and tell us why they treasure the slab of vinyl so much. Leeds based Legendary DJ, Steve Luigi is perhaps more famous for his reputation as a house music DJ on the dance scene but Steve's first love is for Northern Soul. "My favourite Soul track of all time would be VERY hard to choose as there are so many, but to pick one that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up out of the literally thousands, I would have to choose 'Mike Post Coalition - Afternoon on the Rhino'" says Steve.

"The reason for me choosing this track is because it has always baffled me as to why someone would take a huge orchestra into a studio to record a random track that was not a theme tune for any film or program that I know of, but just for the sake of it".

"Can you imagine being in the studio when the track was recorded? WOW! The track is so full of energy from start to finish. And what type of music is it? It wasn't made as a Northern Soul record as there was no such term when it was made, so why was it recorded and to what end, it can't have made much money on the commercial scene?"

"All these factors add to the mystery and brilliance of this track. If you don't tap your feet when this track is being played, Check your pulse!!!"

For more info on Steve Luigi check out www.dj-cases.co.uk

My Favourite 45 by Markus Holler from Sugarbush Records

Paul Revere & the Raiders – Him or Me? (Columbia 1967)

Markus Holler from Sugarbush Records presents one of his favourite Garage 45s from his record collection.

“To show that the line between 60s California Garage and 70s PowerPop is unbroken, this song was actually recorded by The Flamin’ Groovies as the b-side to their single ‘You tore me down’. The Raiders though wrote it and rightly released it as an a-side".

"I remember hearing this for the very first time as a spotty teen on the John Peel show in 1982. I blew my head off there and then. Was there EVER a more compulsive rush? I would liken it to a three minute orgasm or to sitting in a Corvette with the pedal down and doing 140mph on an empty motorway. Yes it’s that good".

"If you have a spare £5 to spend, find this 45 and play it to death. If you don’t like I’ll give you ten for it and play it a hundred time more-segueing into my own copy of it for a seamless megamix that’ll go on for days. Yes, I like it!”

For rare vinyl at affordable prices check out Markus’ excellent website @ http://www.sugarbushrecords.com/

Paul Revere and the Raiders are criminally under-rated on these shores. Most of their success took place in the US yet, major success eluded them, quite possibly because they lived in the shadows of the Monkees. But, despite the naff costumes, they made some terrific albums. Sundazed records have re-issued their albums and RSG! recommends Spirit of 67, Revolution!, Something Happening and Midnight Ride. The band are still touring in 2008. Check out their website for further information.

Check out this classic archive footage of the band in action courtesy of Youtube. Thanks to Mystars72 for posting! If you would like to comment on this track or contribute to this series please email us today!

My Favourite 45 by John MacLean of the Aliens

We asked a bunch of our favourite artists, DJs and fellow music junkies to tell us about a special 45 they treasure. First up, we’ve got this Motown classic from The Aliens, John Maclean (pictured left)…

"I collect and DJ 45s so it's tough choosing one, (but I’ll plump for) THE VELVELETTES - NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK".

“I choose this because it deserves to be played loud and played from the original 45 cut, not a motown 30 tunes per side compilation” says the ex-Beta Band keyboardist, “(It’s) extremely danceable, gets the ladies onto the floor (which then gets the men onto the floor), melodic and rhythmic in equal measures, my fave 45”.

The Aliens critically acclaimed debut album 'Astronomy for Dogs' is out now. Purchase it now here! For further information on the Aliens check out their website thealiens.co.uk. The Aliens are playing live in Manchester on March 16th, London (17th) and Glasgow April 10th.

Check out the video to the Aliens 'Robot Man' single...

my favourite 45...

Watch out for a new exciting feature coming soon to Ready Steady Go...

We've asked some of our favourite bands, DJs, writers and music biz types to write about a favourite 45 single from their private record collection. Keep coming back to RSG! to see who is next waxing lyrical about their favourite records. Could it be a lesser known nugget or a timeless classic?

If you would like to contribute to this series please drop me a line. We'd love to hear from ya!

Long live vinyl!