Jack Hammer Uk Polydor Alert?

[Derek Pearson]

Just having an enjoyable afternoon wading my way through mountains of old paper notes and scribblings, stuff I could've and should've used for previous copies of Shades Of Soul. The initial pile was over a yard high and I'm so pleased I've thinned it down to a foot. In the background I'm listening to Keb Darge story tell his way through the 3 part Ducktape interviews. If he was fined a penny for every time he swore he'd probably pay off all of Africa's national debt..Hark at me - swearing it shouldn't be allowed - said in my best Les Dawson busty women voice hehehe.

I digress, came across a crumpled piece of paper with the words - find/investigate/listen Jack Hammer "Ode to a discotheque" UK Polydor v.rare speak to Mick Smith - never did follow it up! Now I'm curious whats it like? Pete Smith walks through the door and says...

[TheBigO]

Hmm that well may have been me asking you to check out the Jack Hammer track Derek as I did rave over it many years ago in my scribblings to SOS! I have it on tape and will get it put on the laptop some time this week but its a great slab of Mod/6Ts club Soul, a clip-clop dancer that builds and has the maddest lyrics if memory serves right: 'Rave on, rave on you mad fools until you melt into a pool of human protoplasm' I think is one memorable line!!!! Its more club soul than Northern Soul but still a great atmospheric toon none the less. Didn't he also have an unissued lp that contained the super rare 'Down In The Subway' (or something like that) that was about some guy jumping in front of the train??? Hmmm, and Vince and I thought Bobby Paris had depressing topics for songs!!!! Will go through the crates and dig it out and update to follow but Mr Smith would be the man to ask. Only a handful of copies???

Edited December 30, 2005 by TheBigO

[Simon T]

Only ever heard it played out once at the 100 club in 82 or 3, Mr Smith I presumed. Mentioned it to a friend who bought one of Boston's wednesday market for 15p & gave it to me. Never seen one for sale or listed. I'll post up a sound file tomorrow, before getting pis*ed again and finally getting banned from the site.

[TheBigO]

Good man Mr T! Been looking for one for 15+ years, post the clip asap so others may enjoy and save me the bother of digging out my old rare UK only tape that's buried somewhere in my garage!!! Cheers xx

[Simon T]

Good man Mr T! Been looking for one for 15+ years, post the clip asap so others may enjoy and save me the bother of digging out my old rare UK only tape that's buried somewhere in my garage!!! Cheers xx

[TheBigO]

See told you! Great 6Ts toon, MAD MAD lyrics and a good little club dancer. I think this is super rare (never seen listed on Polydor listings) so still gutted you have one Simon and I don't but god bless you for allowing others to share in the joy that is this 45!! (Can you tell I love this?) Do you think the writers may have been subject to some illegal substances when they composed this? Spread the word on this and share the love - after all, isn't that what we as a scene have always been about? Rave on! Rave on you mad impetious fools......

[Guest toby]

See told you! Great 6Ts toon, MAD MAD lyrics and a good little club dancer. I think this is super rare (never seen listed on Polydor listings) so still gutted you have one Simon and I don't but god bless you for allowing others to share in the joy that is this 45!! (Can you tell I love this?) Do you think the writers may have been subject to some illegal substances when they composed this? Spread the word on this and share the love - after all, isn't that what we as a scene have always been about? Rave on! Rave on you mad impetious fools......

Big O pop round one evening next week i'm clearing out lots of stuff including this tune.I need more space for the other shipments that keep coming in.I will list on Soul source loads of other stuff,i gives a chance for SOUL people to get em 1st,all cheap...Neil give us a ring..

[Guest biggray1]

This was also played in the Clubs around Nottingham !!fast and furious too

[Larsc]

Cool !

What's the flip called ?

[Guest biggray1]

Lets go steady!! pop psyche thing!

[Dave Morris]

May just be me but was he on summat when he recorded "Ode to a Discotheque" and if so can I have some.

Dave.

[pow wow mik]

I got one on Ebay, seen a few on there actually.

I also got a 45 Emidisc of 'Down In The Subway' / Love Ladder' and was wondering if it was a proper 60s acetate or one of those done in the 70s for the soul scene. Anyone know id this was played in the 70s and likely to have been done then?

The tracks are off the 1965 Polydor LP ' Brave New World', good LP recorded in England, but is more Oscar Brown JR than soul. 'Ode to a discotheque' probably from the same sessions but not on the LP.

He done great tracks from the mid 50s to the 70s, including the great track 'Swim' which I wont mention cos it got slagged off on here! He was in the US army & recorded twist tracks with Brigitte Bardot and was big in Scandinavia & Europe in the early 60s. I'd love to hear his life story!

Edited January 2, 2006 by mik parry

[Guest taffy]

This one is about him chopping his wife up with an axe.The title of the record being his prison number.Dont know if this was a first hand experience or not

[TheBigO]

No-one mentioned his best, the wonderful 'What Greater Love' on UK UA, awesome toon!!!!!!

Edited January 3, 2006 by TheBigO

[TheBigO]

For those anoraks amongst us heres the complete listing I found for Jack:

JACK HAMMER : US SINGLES

DECCA 29938 THE JUMPING JAGUARS (feat. Jack Hammer & Mame Watts) Knock Kneed Nellie From Knoxville / Shut The Door Baby 1956

DECCA 30109 JACK HAMMER Football Rock / So What 1956

ROULETTE R-4046 JACK HAMMER WITH HUGO PERETTI & HIS ORCH. Girl, Girl, Girl / Chant Of Love 1958

KAPP K-274 JACK HAMMER Whispering Grass / We Three (My Echo My Shadow And Me) 4/1959

KAPP K-287 JACK HAMMER Little Bitty Goose Pimples / What Every Young Lover Should Know 1959

RONNEX 1284 JACK HAMMER Don't Let Baby Know / The Wiggle 1962

SOUL 35088 JACK HAMMER Color Combination / The Swim 1971

JACK HAMMER : EUROPEAN SINGLES

ORIOLE CB 1634 JACK HAMMER Young Only Once / Juliette 1961 UK

ORIOLE CB 1645 JACK HAMMER Kissin' Twist / Melancholy Boy 1962 UK

ORIOLE CB 1728 JACK HAMMER Crazy Twist / Twist Talk 1962 UK

ORIOLE CB 1753 JACK HAMMER Don't Let Baby Know / Number 2539 1962 UK

YUGOTON ? (p/s) JACK HAMMER Juliette / Tell The Gang Goodbye 1962 YUG

POP PO 45 S 269 JACK HAMMER Juliette / Tell The Gang Goodbye 1962 HOL

RONNEX 1270 (p/s) JACK HAMMER Kissin' Twist / Boogie Woogie Twist 1962 BEL

RONNEX 1275 (p/s) JACK HAMMER Twist In The Morning / Come Twist Around The Clock 1962 BEL

RONNEX 1284 (p/s) JACK HAMMER The Wiggle / The Wiggling Fool 1962 BEL

TONO 45-STU 42119 (p/s) JACK HAMMER The Wiggle / The Wiggling Fool 1962 DEN

GAZELL C-134 (p/s) JACK HAMMER Kissin' Twist / Twistin' King 1962 SWE

GAZELL C-137 (p/s) JACK HAMMER The Wiggle / The Wiggling Fool 1962 SWE

POLYDOR 56091 JACK HAMMER Thanks / Love Ladder 1966 UK

UNITED ARTISTS UP 35029 JACK HAMMER What Greater Love / The Mason Dixon Line 1969 UK

JACK HAMMER : EP'S

DISQUES POP MPO.3087 (p/s) KISSIN' TWIST 1962 FRA

DISQUES POP MPO.3091 (p/s) CRAZY TWIST 1962 FRA

DISQUES POP MPO.3102 (p/s) JACK HAMMER WITH THE HARRY KING ORCHESTRA

Electricity / Wiggling Fool / Fire Baby / The Wiggle 1962 FRA

GAZELL GEP-54 (p/s) JACK HAMMER WITH THE JOHNNY VAN HORN ORCHESTRA

Kissin' Twist / Twist Talk / Twistin' King / Boogie Woogie Twist 1962 SWE

DISCOPHON 27.060 (p/s) JOS° TORRES-JACK HAMMER

Let's Twist Again / Kissin' Twist / (+ Jos Torres: Brigitte Bardot / Amor Amor) 1962 SPA

DISCOPHON 27.115 (p/s) JACK HAMMER-RAY ELLINGTON: MADISON

The Wiggle / The Wiggling Fool / (+ Ray Ellington: The Madison / Jump Over) 1962 SPA

RONNEX 553 (p/s) SPELLING TWIST 196? BEL

JACK HAMMER : ALBUMS

ABA 3383 TWISTIN' KING (LP)

(reissue: Durium LP 30299, 198?) 1961 FRA

ORIOLE PS 40020 HAMMER + BEAT = TWIST (LP) 1963 UK

POLYDOR ? BRAVE NEW WORLD (LP) 1966 UK

BELLAPHON ? THIS IS MY SONG (LP) 1978 GER

? WIGGLING FOOL - 20 GREATEST TWIST HITS (LP) 19?? ITA

MELODIA LP JH 3102 THE WIGGLING FOOL - TWIST COLLECTION (CD)

Twistin' King/Kissin' Twist/Boogie Woogie Twist/Crazy Twist/Twist And Shout/Spelling Twist/Twist Turn And Twirl/Come Twist Around The Clock/Twistin' Blues/Choo Choo Twist/The Wiggle/Wiggling Fool/Can't You Do It/Sugar Boy/Eletricity/Fire Baby/It's Good/Juliette/Melancholy Boy/Stop Slop 19?? RUS

MARGINAL CDMAR 056 THE BEST OF JACK HAMMER : HAMMER + BEAT = TWIST (CD)

Twist In The Morning/Kissin' Twist/Don't Let Baby Know/Girl, Girl, Girl/Boogie Woogie Twist/Twist And Shout/Spellin' Twist/Twist Talk/Crazy Twist/Twistin' King/Choo-Choo Twist/Twist, Turn And Twirl/Come Twist Around The Clock/Twistin' Blues/The Wiggle/Wiggling Fool/Can't You Do It/Sugar Boy/Electricity/Fire Baby/It's Good/Juliette/Melancholy Baby/Stop Lop/Espana Te Quiero/Ali Ben Ghazi/The Hawks And The Crowns/Ruby Red (Dying Soldier)/The Rose And The Rock/Mean And Evil Me 1997 BEL

JACK HAMMER : COMPILATIONS

CROWN LP 100 V/A: ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, VOL.1 (LP)

Girl, Girl, Girl 1980 US?

RED LIGHTNIN' RL 0059 V/A: R&B LAFF BLASTS FROM THE PAST (LP)

Tony Middleton & Jack Hammer: Earth Cousins 198? UK

CHARLY CR 30237 V/A: ROCK SOCK THE BOOGIE (LP)

The Jumping Jaguars: Knock Kneed Nellie From Knoxville/Shut The Door Baby 1984 UK

HYDRA 7714 V/A: TEENAGE DANCE PARTY, VOL.3 (LP)

Football Rock 1990 GER

BLEND BLR 82016 V/A: ROCK & ROLL COLLECTION, VOL.16 (LP)

Girl, Girl, Girl 19?? BEL

STRIP CD 00102 V/A: LAS VEGAS GRIND, PART 1 (CD)

The Wiggle 199? GER

STRIP CD 00403 V/A: LAS VEGAS GRIND, PART 2 (CD)

Wiggling Fool (reissue: Crypt CD 403, 1995 GER) 1992 GER

SEQUEL NEM 619 V/A: ROULETTE ROCK & ROLL, VOL.1 (CD)

Girl, Girl, Girl 1994 UK

SEQUEL NEM 939 V/A: HERB ABRAMSON'S FESTIVAL OF GROUPS (CD)

Tony Middleton & Jack Hammer: Earth Cousins 1997 UK

RHINO 78302 V/A: THE BEST OF THE BEAT GENERATION (CD)

Like 2002 US

[TheBigO]

Ooooh I'm on form today - a pic of the US/Belgium King of Weird,Northern, Twist, Freakbeat etc etc

[Sebastian]

For those anoraks amongst us heres the complete listing I found for Jack:

JACK HAMMER : EUROPEAN SINGLES

"Swim" b/w "Colour Combination" was also released on UK Youngblood, swedish Tamla Motown (I've got a copy up for grabs of that one if anyone needs it, send me an offer if so, PayPal is OK), plus I've also seen it on Polydor with a picture sleeve and I think it was from Germany.

Edited January 3, 2006 by Sebastian

[Guest Netspeaky]

"Swim" b/w "Colour Combination" was also released on UK Youngblood, swedish Tamla Motown (I've got a copy up for grabs of that one if anyone needs it, send me an offer if so, PayPal is OK), plus I've also seen it on Polydor with a picture sleeve and I think it was from Germany.

How the Hell did this end up on Tamla Motown???????????????????????? Strange

[Sebastian]

How the Hell did this end up on Tamla Motown???????????????????????? Strange

Perhaps some worldwide Motown deal was struck when it was released on Soul in the US? I don't know. Quite an obscure issue of this tune for sure.

Edited January 3, 2006 by Sebastian

[pow wow mik]

"Swim" b/w "Colour Combination" was also released on UK Youngblood, swedish Tamla Motown (I've got a copy up for grabs of that one if anyone needs it, send me an offer if so, PayPal is OK), plus I've also seen it on Polydor with a picture sleeve and I think it was from Germany.

Had Swedish & German pic sleeve issues on Polydor. Just to milk every last fact out of it: The version on a UK Youngblood label sampler is different to the 45 and the backing track was used by dodgy Buddy Holly tribute act 'Mike Berry' of all people - in 1976!

I've seen a US 45 by him too, not listed in that discography: 'Cool Swimming Pool' on New Bag.

[Pete S]

Neil I remember you mentioning the Discotheque record when you were doing reviews for (my) Beatin Rhythm magazine, and to be honest I never saw one til about 6 months ago when it turned up on ebay.

As for Down In The Subway...Soft Cell did a great version of this...was a minor hit

[steve z]

Neil I remember you mentioning the Discotheque record when you were doing reviews for (my) Beatin Rhythm magazine, and to be honest I never saw one til about 6 months ago when it turned up on ebay.

As for Down In The Subway...Soft Cell did a great version of this...was a minor hit

Hi Pete ,so what do you think of Jack and his Disco ode ?

[Guest]

Dont matter how much spin you put on swim,its crapola`,but do like the polydor thing,super want one

[steve z]

Hi Pete ,so what do you think of Jack and his Disco ode ?

Come on Pete,I know you have posted in the last couple of hours LETS BE KNOWING ATB Stevie Z

[Pete S]

Come on Pete,I know you have posted in the last couple of hours LETS BE KNOWING ATB Stevie Z

I have to post and run at the moment, I was watching the football!

Er, I liked the backing track but the rest was a sack of pigs tits.

[steve z]

I have to post and run at the moment, I was watching the football!

Er, I liked the backing track but the rest was a sack of pigs tits.

A BIG SET of pigs nipples What football.See how long this takes

[TheBigO]

Hi Pete, yes those heady glory days of the mag! I have loved this 45 from the moment I heard it and good old Toby may well be ending my vinyl drought shortly. I just think its a perfect club Mod toon, pigs tits maybe but are you talking tripe? (Groan!!! lol)

[Simon T]

Hi Pete, yes those heady glory days of the mag! I have loved this 45 from the moment I heard it and good old Toby may well be ending my vinyl drought shortly. I just think its a perfect club Mod toon, pigs tits maybe but are you talking tripe? (Groan!!! lol)

I hope the 'timid sweet thing' does.

'Dance on you made beautiful fool' Neil!

[Pete S]

A BIG SET of pigs nipples What football.See how long this takes

Arsenal v Man Utd. And it took 11 hours to reply by the looks of it. Baby spent most of the night crying

[Gene-R]

For those anoraks amongst us heres the complete listing I found for Jack:

JACK HAMMER : US SINGLES

DECCA 29938 THE JUMPING JAGUARS (feat. Jack Hammer & Mame Watts) Knock Kneed Nellie From Knoxville / Shut The Door Baby 1956

DECCA 30109 JACK HAMMER Football Rock / So What 1956

ROULETTE R-4046 JACK HAMMER WITH HUGO PERETTI & HIS ORCH. Girl, Girl, Girl / Chant Of Love 1958

KAPP K-274 JACK HAMMER Whispering Grass / We Three (My Echo My Shadow And Me) 4/1959

KAPP K-287 JACK HAMMER Little Bitty Goose Pimples / What Every Young Lover Should Know 1959

RONNEX 1284 JACK HAMMER Don't Let Baby Know / The Wiggle 1962

SOUL 35088 JACK HAMMER Color Combination / The Swim 1971

Given that Jack Hammer's year of birth is documented as 1941, are you sure that the pre-1959 US singles are the same artist? Or maybe a different artist with the same name?

Incidentally, "What Greater Love" can be heard on the Goldmine CD "British Soul, Vol.2", and (I think) was the original version from which the reggae version by Teddy Brown was covered.

Gene

Edited January 4, 2006 by Gene-R

[Pete S]

Given that Jack Hammer's year of birth is documented as 1941, are you sure that the pre-1959 US singles are the same artist? Or maybe a different artist with the same name?

Incidentally, "What Greater Love" can be heard on the Goldmine CD "British Soul, Vol.2", and (I think) was the original version from which the reggae version by Teddy Brown was covered.

Gene

Think the original is by Little Anthony mate..

[steve z]

Arsenal v Man Utd. And it took 11 hours to reply by the looks of it. Baby spent most of the night crying

Hi Pete, a draw I believe.'Tis knackering when baby cries all night. ATB Steve

[pow wow mik]

Given that Jack Hammer's year of birth is documented as 1941, are you sure that the pre-1959 US singles are the same artist? Or maybe a different artist with the same name?

Incidentally, "What Greater Love" can be heard on the Goldmine CD "British Soul, Vol.2", and (I think) was the original version from which the reggae version by Teddy Brown was covered.

Gene

same artist, nearly everything he did had pic sleeves cos it was mostly European and it's the same guy, you can tell by the voice too. I think his documented birth date must be wrong.

[TheBigO]

I think his birth date is wrong too, seems to be the opinion amongst those in Europe who know far more than me on the man. Not surprised the baby was crying Pete if Man U were on My 2 yr old is just learning her first words: 'Chlesea Champions again' bless