string(3) "dev" The Nightcrawlers - The Little Black Egg - Ace Records

The Little Black Egg The Nightcrawlers

£11.50

Genre:
Psych / Garage
Label:
Big Beat
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDWIKD 203

There's something wonderfully weird about the NightCrawlers, those Daytona Beach, Florida teens that unleashed The Little Black Egg upon an unsuspecting world in 1965. In a time when most garage bands were thrilled to sound like an amateur Byrds or Rolling Stones, the NightCrawlers honed a recorded style that was distinctly their own.

The NightCrawlers weren't great musicians, but they had a knack for turning their limitations into assets. Local fans made them the biggest attraction in a scene otherwise dominated by the nascent Allman Brothers. One thing they had was original songs - great songs - in a time when very few bands wrote their own material. Their simple yet haunting melodies and propulsive arrangements made the NightCrawlers stand out from the pack.

And then there was Chuck Conlon's uncanny voice, an instrument given to high-pitched coos and hysterical outbursts-anything but a standard rock vocal. It's that voice that drew a million American teens close to their late night radios to try and piece together one of the oddest musical narratives of any era. This insidious little ditty hit regional charts throughout the U.S. between 1965 and 1967, and it's a testament to the uniqueness of their sound that the song could fit on playlists that spanned an eternity in pop years.

The story of the speckled egg that the singer found in a tree might not have "meant" anything - Conlon knocked the words out in the time it took guitarist Sylvan Wells to take a shower - but it sure caught the imagination of listeners. And while 'Egg' is a fabulous single, it was hardly the best or only thing the group ever put to wax. A few lucky folks picked up their posthumous 1967 LP on Kapp and were introduced to a strange and compelling world of girls in tower windows (A Basket Of Flowers), bellyachin' laundresses (Washboard), and lovers who casually suggest you die for them (If You Want My Love), all celebrated in some of the most memorable melodies of the garage era.

The NightCrawlers had always planned to break up as they finished high school and went off to different colleges, and they did, leaving behind a handful of long out-of-print records that don't sound like anyone else.

The time's long been ripe for a rediscovery of the NightCrawlers, and anticipation in the garage scene is very high for this new compilation. Kudos to Ace/ Big Beat for tracking down the band and getting the rights to not only the Kapp album, but also a selection of excellent unheard demos, live rehearsal tracks and rare early singles. The live songs showcase vocalist Rob Rouse, who led the band on stage just as Conlon did in the studio. This is the first time non-Floridians have had a chance to hear just what made the NightCrawlers the top teen club band in their community. Equally interesting on this fine collection are spooky demos of the unreleased Sally In The Alley and an ultra-slow alternate take of their classic If You Want My Love, both as strong as anything on their LP.

By Kim Cooper

Share

Track listing

Show

Side 1

Delivery & Returns

Show

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Press quotes

Show

An excellent 60's artefact that will excite many collectors.

Record Collector

Customer reviews

Show

Customers who bought this item also bought