Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 4 December 1964 in the United Kingdom on EMI's Parlophone label. The album marked a departure from the upbeat tone that had characterised the Beatles' previous work, partly due to the band's exhaustion after a series of tours that had established them as a worldwide phenomenon in 1964. Beatles for Sale was not widely available in the US until 1987, when the Beatles' catalogue was standardised for release on CD. Instead, eight of the album's fourteen tracks appeared on Capitol Records' concurrent release, Beatles '65, issued in North America only.
The Electric Prunes are an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Much of the band's music was, as music historian Richie Unterberger described it, possessed of "an eerie and sometimes anguished ambiance." It mainly consisted of material by songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz, though the group also penned their own songs. Incorporating psychedelia and elements of embryonic electronic rock, the band's sound was marked by innovative recording techniques with fuzz-toned guitars and oscillating sound effects. In addition, guitarist Ken Williams' and singer James Lowe's concept of "free-form garage music" provided the band with a richer sonic palette and exploratory lyrical structure than many of their contemporaries.
The Merseybeats are an English beat band that emerged from the Liverpool Merseybeat scene in the early 1960s, performing at the Cavern Club along with the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and other similar artists.
Surfin' U.S.A. is the second album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released March 25, 1963 on Capitol Records. It reached number two in the US, lasting 78 weeks on the Billboard album chart, eventually being certified gold by the RIAA, and brought the group newfound national success. It was led by one single, its title track with the B-side "Shut Down". In the United Kingdom, the album was belatedly released in late 1965, reaching number 17.
The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. Fronted by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Sean Bonniwell, the band cultivated a characteristically dark and rebellious image reflected in an untamed musical approach. Sometimes it made use of distorted guitar lines and hallucinogenic organ parts, punctuated by Bonniwell's distinctively throaty vocals. Although they managed to attain national chart success only briefly with two singles, the Music Machine is today considered by many critics to be one of the groundbreaking acts of the 1960s. Their style is now recognized as a pioneering force in proto-punk; yet within a relatively short period of time, they began to employ more complex lyrical and instrumental arrangements that went beyond the typical garage band format.
Mickey & Sylvia was an American R&B duo composed of Mickey Baker and Sylvia Vanterpool, who later became Sylvia Robinson. They are best known for their number-one R&B single "Love Is Strange" in 1957.
Chad & Jeremy were a British musical duo consisting of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, which began working in 1962 and had its first hit song in the UK with "Yesterday's Gone". That song became a hit in the United States in the following year as part of the British Invasion. Unlike the rock-music sounds of their peers, Chad & Jeremy performed in a soft, folk-inflected style that is characterised by hushed and whispered vocals. The duo had a string of hits in the United States, including "Willow Weep for Me", "Before and After", and their biggest hit, "A Summer Song". After some commercial failures and divergent personal ambitions, Chad & Jeremy disbanded in 1968.
Gris-Gris is the debut album by Dr. John. Produced by Harold Battiste, it was released on Atco Records in 1968. The musical style of Gris-Gris is a hybrid of New Orleans rhythm and blues and psychedelic rock. Despite the New Orleans style, it was recorded in California, albeit with several native New Orleans musicians.
The Rising Storm is an American rock group that was active at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, United States, between 1965 and 1967. Their music is considered to belong in the folk rock and garage rock genres. The original members of the group were Bob Cohan (guitar), Todd Cohen (bass), Charlie Rockwell (keyboards), Tom Scheft (drums), Tony Thompson, and Rich Weinberg.
Cute 'n' Country is a studio album by American country music artist Connie Smith. It was released in October 1965 via RCA Victor Records and contained 12 tracks. Featured on the record was the top ten hit, "I Can't Remember". The album itself was Smith's second in her career and made major chart positions in late 1965 following its release. It received positive reviews from critics.
The Robbs were an American 1960s pop and rock band from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. They are best known for being the house band on Dick Clark's mid-1960s show Where The Action Is. They are also known for placing the most singles on Billboard magazine's "Bubbling Under" chart without ever once crossing over into the Billboard Hot 100.
Songs Our Daddy Taught Us is the second studio album by close harmony country/rock and roll duo the Everly Brothers, released in 1958. The album is a selection of songs that the brothers learned as boys from their father, Ike Everly. Originally released on Cadence Records, the album has been re-released on LP and CD many times, primarily by Rhino and EMI.
Portrait is the second album by the American pop group The Walker Brothers. Released in 1966 the album was their most successful and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. The group's musical accompaniment was directed by Ivor Raymonde and Reg Guest and produced by John Franz. Receiving good to mixed reviews the album was first released in both Mono and Stereo LP formats in August 1966. The album was later released on CD having been remastered and expanded in 1998. The sleeve notes were written by Keith Altham with photography by Dezo Hoffman.
"A Summer Song" is a 1964 song by the English pop music duo Chad & Jeremy. The song was written by duo partner Chad Stuart with Clive Metcalfe and Keith Noble.
"Before and After" is a 1965 hit single by Chad & Jeremy. It was the duo's label debut on Columbia Records, released after Columbia acquired rights to all of the duo's post-January 1, 1965 recordings. The song was written by Van McCoy, then a staff writer for Columbia's publishing arm April Blackwood Music. Artie Wayne, professional manager of April Blackwood, placed "Before and After" with Chad & Jeremy, who recorded the song in March 1965 in the sessions for their album also entitled Before and After; Lor Crane produced these sessions at Columbia's New York City studios.
Distant Shores is the fifth studio album by the English duo Chad & Jeremy. It was released on 15 August 1966. Distant Shores was recorded between November 1965 and March 1966. This is the first album in which the duo were given time to craft their sound and style. This album is a precursor to their psychedelic album, Of Cabbages and Kings. It includes the first recording of Paul Simon's "Homeward Bound", predating even Simon & Garfunkel's record.
Lori Burton was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
The Twinkeyz were a punk rock band formed in 1977 in Sacramento, California. They are credited as Sacramento's first punk band, and as one of the first bands to create a "small but thriving new wave scene" in Sacramento. Spin later identified them as one of the "crucial participants in the proto-punk revolution".
"Should I" is a song written by Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, first recorded by their duo Chad & Jeremy as the B-side to "I Have Dreamed", which became a top-100 hit in the US. The song was arranged by Stuart and was included a week later on their fourth studio album I Don't Want to Lose You Baby.
