10-inch records

Here's a really interesting and strange release. The A&M "Foreplay" series I've noticed have only small portions of the featured tunes. This one has the Herbie/Hugh "Skokiaan" as the fifth (!) track on side one...of a 10 inch record.

Side two, though, is highly unusual and may be a first and only release for A&M. It's The Wreckers and Apes with a tune called "I Love My Label". I have no clue on it, but....side B only has one track because it was cut at 78 RPM!

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I could actually play this one, but...would I even want to? 🤣

This one is making me waaay too curious (just had to order me a copy 🦄) What a fun and intriguing idea to have one side pressed at 78rpm. Would that have something to do with the style of this cover? Rockabilly perhaps?? And who are The Wreckers and Apes? Could it be members of the Wrecking Crew with, say... ex-Monkees Michael Nesmith and Davy Jones or something?
And what about the producers; The Bone and Bitchin' Say La Vie... I know that Karen Carpenter would sometimes introduce Tony Peluso as "The Bone" during concerts :)
 
Okay, so I finally got to listen to my copy of the 10-inch Foreplay and what a fun disc this is! :jester:

They turned the A-side into a sci-fi radio play where a lonely A&M staffer is in a cave in California with a master set of the complete A&M catalog, a 24-track sound system and tapes of the new releases for 1978 (sounds like a wonderful dream to me!). Then he's visited by an alien who is sent from another galaxy to build a new civilization or something. I love the wink at the Carpenters' "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" when the A&M guy asks the alien if he's after them. The alien even has a similar voice to the one in Karen & Richard's cut of that song. Following of course are the brief samples of the new releases interspersed by interaction between the A&M guy and the alien, with Herb Alpert's music as the best that's saved for last.

But the B-side is still a big mystery to me. Fun concept to have a 78 for '78 though. It's a cover of Nick Lowe's "I love my label", same lyrics, same key, same style (although a bit faster), in stereo. Running time is 04:28. I can't identify the singer's voice. He reminds me a little bit of Joe Jackson. Could also be the A&M guy from side A, no idea...
And what about the rest of the musicians? This is what it says on the back cover:

Special 78 for 1978
I LOVE MY LABEL
Performed by The Wreckers and Apes
Guitar: Fret Fondue
Drums: Bitchin' Say La Vie
Bass: Calculus
Keyboards: Fast Fingers Friedman

Support and Hand Claps by The Surf and Turf Choir
Vocals by Big Red, Scuddy Bopper, The Jersey Giant and The Bone

PRODUCED BY THE BONE AND BITCHIN' SAY LA VIE

Engineered by N. D. Mix

Recorded at A&M Studios, Hollywood, Calif.

© 1977 A&M RECORDS, INC.


Somehow, with names like these, I can't help getting Cinderella G. Stump vibes here (who turned out to be Jo Stafford in vocal disguise back in 1947 on Red Ingle's record, "Tim-Tayshun")
The backing vocals are mixed in the middle and rather deep in the mix, so hardly distinguishable. There's a high-pitched voice amongst the cheerers, who is yelling things in the background. At one point that voice seems to be yelling "Hey! Karen!", but it doesn't come out that clearly... I wish I could recognize the style of the instrumental solos (on guitars, bass and keyboards).
I guess we'll never know who the real musicians and voices are on this track, unless.... anyone out there has access to the recording session notes or was even in the studio :wink:

Greg
 
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