A prayer for our times. The Beau Brummels offered up this track in the mid-sixties, then promptly tossed it into the discard bin. The group, incidentally, has one of the most generously endowed discard bins in rock. It finally did show up for the first time on Rhino’s 2005 limited edition Magic Hollow box set, which is now out of print but mandatory, along with Sundazed’s San Fran Sessions (also out of print) if you have any interest in getting a truthful overview of the Brummels. See here for my dream “Best of the BBs” compilation.

R.I.P.: Beau Brummels drummer John Peterson passed away November 11, 2007.

The Beau Brummels – “God Help the Teenagers Tonight” (1965)

When Suzi Q. showed up on Happy Days as Pinky Tuscadero’s bass-thumping sister Leather, that’s the first most Americans had heard of her. For those of you keeping track of the nation’s shortcomings, the fact that Suzi never made the Top 40 here before 1979 (the regrettable “Stumblin’ In” with Chris Norman) certainly ought to make the list. Little did Happy Days viewers know that she’d long been reigning supreme on the British charts in the early seventies with insanely great singles like “Can the Can,” “48 Crash,” “Daytona Demon” and “Devil Gate Drive.” But I wonder how many who might have already known this bit of info also knew that she’d played in a blistering Detroit fab fivesome along with her sisters Patti and Arlene in the late sixties? I knew nothing of these early years until my friend Jim recently got me all up to speed and sent me some fine pics of the girls looking like Shangri-La cousins. Best of all, he let me hear their debut 1967 single: the moody “Never Thought You’d Leave Me” backed with what must be the original and ultimate bad girl rock and roll anthem, “What a Way to Die.” Have a listen yourself.

(Suzi’s the one in the group photo above drummer Darline, who’s sitting on the floor.)

The Pleasure Seekers – “Never Thought You’d Leave Me” (1967)

The Pleasure Seekers – “What a Way to Die” (1967)

The original one runs to 1:35 and appears on the official 1966 soundtrack album. The definitive version, which is sublimity itself and features Hancock on piano, runs to 8:15 and appears on Bobby Hutcherson’s Oblique album, recorded in 1967 and not released until 1980. In Japan.

Herbie Hancock – “Blow-Up – Main Title” (1966)

Herbie Hancock – “Theme from Blow-Up” (1967)

Folkways is all about keeping ancient recordings like this one available and viable. Frutiful, even.

Rollerologists like me know that the group’s boingy cover of this Russ Ballard song appeared only on the US LP version of their Dedication album.

Chronically out of print Beau Brummels song – the B-side to their enchanting “Magic Hollow” A-side. This has got an airiness to it that suggests sweet oblivion and mind satisfaction within an enormous, bustling public building. The group was a trio at this point, just Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, and Ron Meagher.

Love Song were one of the best-loved “Jesus Freak” groups within that movement, but their albums are all out of print. “Welcome Back” is their crowning glory because it’s loaded with so much emotion: lead singer Chuck Girard’s soaring, born-again lead; the repentant backup singers’ heartbroken harmonies; and the melancholy melodica suggesting regret + relief. Girard, by the way, is the man who does the Mike Love sendup on the Hondell’s “Little Honda” recording, although a stand-in mimed it for the group’s TV appearances.

Love Song – “Welcome Back”

“Let’s go down by the river,” sings this Oregon loner folkie, over and over again. “And together we can have liberty.” He’s drenched in echo and minor chords and while you listen you find yourself wanting to scream out “don’t do it!!” to whoever he’s singing to. And at the end, when it’s clear that it’s actually baptism he’s singing about, you’re no less concerned.

Bob Desper – “Liberty”

Here’s the B-side to the Osmond Brothers’ 1967 single “I Can’t Stop,” which was reissued in ’71 during Osmondmania and charted at #96, but although “I Can’t Stop” has since made it to a few compilations, “Flower Music” has never seen official release since then. Sounds like Alan taking lead on both sides; the raspy, hipper-sounding Merrill had become the official big brother voice by ’71.

The Osmond Brothers – “Flower Music”

And how about those lost legends of surf piano? Outtatune . . . outtasite.

The Tandems – “Beyond the Surf”