OUT THERE HAVIN’ FUN! PLAY BALL WITH NORTON… in case some of you have been dwelling under a rock, you've come aware of the brain spraining fact that our beloved Dictators are now blasting out of television sets across America, setting the musical pace for the top ball players in the nation... this clip is the 2010 MLB All-Star Game TV ad! God Bless America, indeed... the Dictators 1973 demo version of California Sun was picked off the Norton collection EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY.... congrats, Dictators...
Norton super group the Ding-Dongs (Mark Sultan and Bloodshot Bill with Jared from the Black Lips on bass) are making their live debut today at the Sled Island Fest in Calgary, Alberta – knock ‘em dead guys! Be sure to pick up their fabulous Norton LP here.
WHO'S NEW AT NORTON, YOU ASK?
Super mega major thrill is an upcoming Norton release of never-issued 1966 recordings from guitar snarler JAMES WILLIAMSON... and his pre-Stooges teen band, the Coba Seas... our favorite 16 year old guitar blaster ignites a teenage rampage at an upstate juvie facility with pals Michael Adams, Andy Yood, and Michael Rosen.. the Coba Seas gore local zit-poppers with instro-mental anthemic shellackings of Louie Louie, Heart Of Stone, Gloria, and It's My Life, among others... our posh fall package will coincide with the year end issue of UGLY THINGS, which will feature a massive bio-story on the group...U.T. genius Mike Stax is tapped to scribble liners for the Norton album, as well... we are also proud to announce a posthumous release from conjoined twins Yvonne and Yvette, who have been a irrational obsession here at Nortonville for many years. Last year, we were privileged to mourn at their California gravesite, an odd occasion that led immediately to locating their elusive and effusive lone gospel 45. Now, with permission from their family, an authorized reissue of the impossible to find record will launch as Norton's first-ever gospel recording...the disc is due in the fall, with a print bio paperback on tap via Kicks Books... Rounding out the triple threat is a new trio of full-lengths on Sun Ra-- three albums of unissued prattlin' rattle and spine chilling incantations, set to stratospheric log-bompin'... poetic pounce you can't renounce... also due is a yet-untitled paperback original of Sun Ra space stories and out of this world poems... all with a science-fiction slant... due from Kicks Books, as is the sequel to Sweets... in the works from Andre Williams, as we speak... look for the return of major SWEETS characters Dandy Dan, Bruno, Goldie, Tank, and of course Mr Nobles of Nobles Funeral Home, who will be processing more than cocaine in his velvet-ensconced mortuary... look out Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed... Norton’s multi-volume EL PASO ROCK series continues now, after three volumes of early Bobby Fuller... scores of rare and unreleased 1958-66 West Texas recordings from the vaults of Yucca, Suemi, Exeter, Eastwood, Frog Death and other local labels... we recently pacted a deal to issue over a dozen incredible 1963 raw, rockin’ sides by Terry Manning and the Wild Ones – KILLER STUFF... Terry is known for his 1970 cult album HOME SWEET HOME and his work with Big Star, the Stax family of artists and his engineering work for Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top… but he got his start diggin' Bobby Fuller back in El Paso, Texas... one of Bobby's very earliest... and most ARDENT... disciples...he's a key witness for the forthcoming BOBBY FULLER BIO…by the way, we’ve recently logged in tapes for future Norton Rolling Stones cover singles – Brooklyn’s stompin’ blues kings Daddy Long Legs deliver a soul searing rendition of Cocksucker Blues produced by Andy Shernoff who also tackles Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man plus the Parting Gifts (featuring members of Reigning Sound, Greenhornes and Ettes) with Walkin’ Thru The Sleepy City... later this month, Davila 666 and Los Vigilantes are throwing a big blowout in San Juan, Puerto Rico to kick off the release of THEIR HISPANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST... see below... four bands.. four Stones covers... two records.. gatefold package... the latest technology... only at Norton... and dig this...the A-Bones teamed up with the Great Gaylord for their first studio venture since the 1991 classic Squat With Me Baby. Double G laid down an over the top version of El Pauling's Solid Rock at Montreal's Sin Studios with Bloodshot Bill "producing." It's Squattin' time again! Dig the press-ola!
JULY 20 RELEASES!
THE LONESOME DRIFTER – EAGER BOY (327) Seventeen song roundup on Thomas Johnson, the mysterious Lonesome Drifter culled from the vaults of Shreveport’s Ram Records. His 1958 single Eager Boy stands as one of the most sought after records of all time. The Drifter’s haunting vocals and stark instrumentation make him a truly unique figure in rockabilly and hillbilly music. This is real bone chilling stuff! For fans of Hasil Adkins’ MOON OVER MADISON and Charlie Feathers’ UH HUH HONEY albums. Eager Boy/Tear Drop Valley/Honey Do You Think Of Me/No Lovin’ No Rockin’ Blues/Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues/I Want You Back/Eager Boy (alt. take)/I’ll Be Lonesome When You’re Gone/Tear Drop Valley (alt. take)/I’ll Take A Chance/This Old World Don’t Seem The Same/I’m Gonna Quit My Crying/Blues From A Broken Heart/I Wished It Wasn’t So/Your New Love/Tear Drop Valley (alt. take)/Eager Boy (alt. take)
HASIL ADKINS – WHITE LIGHT/WHITE MEAT (328) Celebrate Hasil’s 25 years as a Norton Records artist with fourteen 1958-65 hunchers and weepers recorded in Hasil’s Boone County, West Virginia shack! Roll Roll Train/Woke Up This Morning/So Tell Me Darlin’/Hot Dog Baby/Come On And Do The Shake With Me/Teenie Weenie Waddy Kiss/Turn My Coat Tails Loose/Donnio Boogie/Tomorrow You’re Gone/Somebody Help Me/You’re Gonna Break My Heart/Lonely Graveyard/You Don’t Love Me/Donnio Shuffle
THEIR HISPANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST (9666) Double 45 set (in posh non-3D gatefold cover) featuring four mucho loco Rolling Stones songs con carne - sung in Spanish! Los Peyotes Let’s Spend The Night Together/Davila 666 She’s A Rainbow/Luis and the Wildfires Get Off My Cloud/Los Vigilantes Paint It Black – arriba!
THE LONESOME DRIFTER – EAGER BOY/TEAR DROP VALLEY (877) Fired up alternate takes of both sides of the incredible Lonesome Drifter’s astonishing 1958 K label rockabilly masterpiece! Absolutely stunning!
IN THE PIPELINE... COMING SOON...
Here’s some upcoming summer releases from Norton! Mr. Excitable Foreigner – do not order these platters yet!
ROY HEAD AND THE TRAITS – LIVE IT UP! (358) Sixteen song roundup of the earliest recordings by inimitable Texas madman Roy Head along with the original Traits! These 1958 -62 sides include all the group’s wild TNT and Renner singles! One More Time/Don’t Be Blue/Live It Up/Yes I Do/ My Baby’s Blue/Here I Am In Love Again/Summertime Love/Your Turn To Cry/Walking All Day/Night Time Blues/One More Time/Don’t Be Blue/Little Mama/Linda Lou/Woe Woe/Got My Mojo Working
September 24 and 25!
THE GIRLS AT DAWN – CALL THE DOCTOR (361) A dozen heart stoppin' originals from the astonishing and fabulous Girls At Dawn, who sing and write and play in flawless combination. This album serves up a stellar stew that will stick to your ribs and keep you coming back for more. Four stars, say I... high praise when Billy says, “It’s like the Paris Sisters backed by the Churchmice…” Come Here To Die/When She Goes Away/Miss Me/I’m Alone/On And On/Evil One/They’re Waiting/Reach Me (Don’t Forget)/Most Terrible Thing/A Secret/It’s Getting Cold/Your Girl
The band will have advance copies of their new Norton album CALL THE DOCTOR available only at their gigs!
July 31 Gooski’s, Pittsburgh, PA
Aug 1 Woodchuck’s, Toledo, OH
Aug. 2 Lager House, Detroit, MI
Aug. 3 Louie’s Trophy House Grill, Kalamazoo, MI
Aug. 4 Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
Aug. 5 Cactus Club Milwaukee WI
Aug. 6 The Comet Cincinnati, OH
Aug. 7 Hi-Tone Memphis, TN
Aug. 8 Flying Monkey Arts Center, Huntsville, AL
Aug. 9 The Earl Atlanta, GA
Aug. 10 tba, Greensboro. SC
Aug. 11 The Summit, Columbus, OH
Aug. 12 The Union, Athens, OH
Aug. 13 tab, Philadelphia, PA
Aug. 14 Bruar Falls, Brooklyn, NY (early show)
Aug. 14 Silent Barn, Brooklyn, NY (late show)
VARIOUS ARTISTS– YOU TORE MY BRAIN! SIXTIES GARAGE ACETATES VOL. 5 (362) Clobberin’ fifth volume of brutal unissued garage crunchers by the Fanatics, Pharaohs, Invictas, IVbidden, Sir Winston and the Commons, mo’!
IVBIDDEN Sick And Lonely
SIR WINSTON AND THE COMMONS All Of The Time
BUNCH Do The Jump
UNKNOWN Palace Of Love
UNKNOWN Follow Her Home
JAMES STREET OVERPASS She Can’t See
UNKNOWN Poor Man Dreamer
INVICTAS Watusi
PHARAOHS The Isle Of Love
UNKNOWN I Won’t Play Your Game
JAMES STREET OVERPASS You Tore My Brain
SIR WINSTON AND THE COMMONS No Sorrow
FANATICS I Can’t Go On
UNKNOWN The Hunter
Be sure to pick up all the volumes in this series!
THE TANDOORI KNIGHTS – CURRY UP (363) A dozen curried treats from the remarkable King Khan and Bloodshot Bill featuring the hit single Pretty Please as well as soon-to-be Tandoori taste treats Into Her Arms and Bandstand and mo’ Hindu hi-jinx! Pretty Please/Bucketful/Roam The Land/Tandoori Party/Books And Ribs/Bandstand/Big Belly Giant/Into Her Arms/Dress On/Lovers Moon/Brown Trash/Beauty And The Feast
VARIOUS ARTISTS - DADDY ROCKING STRONG: A TRIBUTE TO NOLAN STRONG AND THE DIABLOS (The Wind 002) Norton-distributed comp on The Wind Records dedicated to Fortune Records R&B giant Nolan Strong! Andre Williams has this to say in his liner notes: “Hearing these Diablos songs re-interpreted today just proves how timeless Nolan’s music will always be. I can hear the admiration and respect towards Nolan in each and every track.” LONG LIVE NOLAN STRONG! LONG LIVE FORTUNE RECORDS!
MARK SULTAN The Wind
DIRTBOMBS Daddy Rockin’ Strong
CUB KODA You’re The Only Girl, Delores
OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY (Yeah, Baby) It’s Because Of You
ANDRE WILLIAMS WITH THE A-BONES The Way You Dog Me Around
DANNY KROHA Do You Remember What You Did
REINING SOUND Mind Over Matter
WRECKLESS ERIC AND AMY RIGBY I Want To Be Your Happiness
A-BONES Real True Love
HENTCHMEN The Mambo Of Love
DEMONS CLAWS Try Me One More Time
GENTLEMEN JESSE AND HIS MEN Harriette It’s You
LENNY KAYE I Wanna Know
THE SONICS 2010 SUMMER EURO TOUR!
July 2 – Italy - Parma Festival Italy
July 8 Augsburg – Kantine 8 Germany
July 9 – Koln – Essigfabrik Germany
July 11 Finland – Ruisrock Festival Finland
July 15 – Tromsoe – Bukta Festival Norway
July 17 - Spain – Quente Festival Spain
July 18 – Belgium – Dour Festival Belgium
A-BONES EURO JUNKET!!
July 6 Norton Records DJ Party with Billy and
Miriam, Bar Loose, Helsinki, Finland
July 7 Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland
July 8 Klubi, Tampere, Finland
July 9 DBs, Utrecht, Holland
July 10 tba
July 11 Sjock Festival, Gierle Belgium w/The Jim
Jones Review and the Fleshtones
BACK IN THE USA...
July 16 Rebel Night Weekender, Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY w/the Trashmen, Hayden Thompson, Gene Summers, the A-Bones, Stompin Riff Raffs, Sit and Die, Twang Bangers and loads more! This is gonna be a total blast! Lotsa cool DJ's with Rex from Fool's Paradise leading the charge!
July 31 PONDEROSA STOMP AT LINCOLN CENTER: THE DETROIT BREAKDOWN! Just spoke with Question Mark and he is confident the Empire State Building will shine ORANGE after he sets the town on its ear at this wild bash.... and MELVIN DAVIS makes his NYC debut.... see you there! Eddie Kirkland, the Gories, Mitch Ryder, Dennis Coffey, the Party Stompers, the Velvelettes, Spyder Turner!!!!! SEE YOU THERE!
September 24 and 25 PONDEROSA STOMP IN NEW ORLEANS!
Thee Midniters, Thee Trashmen... Duane Eddy...Sugar Pie De Santo.... plus an unannounced cherry-on-top brain-blaster of a closer for Sunday night’s wild, wild top secret party! Be sure to stick around til Monday morn!
The newly ram-charged Norton website will be up soon... meanshilw, note a change of email address. In a grand attempt to rid ourselves of aol and other things, we are now operating (drum roll, please) from the norton website!
So replace your address book with our new address:
orders@nortonrecords.com
if that gives you pain, stick with
nortonrec@aol.com
until some kindly computer literate nortonian comes forth and hotwires the internet to drive everyone directly to nortonville!