Spike Jones

A terribly scratched and crayoned copy of Spike Jones In Hi-Fi that i found some years ago at Brick Lane flea market. It's mono too which kind of wastes the idea of any hi-fidelity. On the sleeve it says "Have you ever heard a belch come from one corner of the room to the other, then re-trace it's tracks?" I guess you'd have to track down the stereo version to find out what that sounds like. Most of the humour here is created by impersonator Paul Frees who conjures up the voices of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff to name but a few. Others taking part are Luli Jean Norman, Thurl Ravenscroft and George Rock.

"Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965) was a popular musician and comedian. He was born in Long Beach, California.
His father was a Southern Pacific railroad agent. He got his nickname by being so thin that he was compared to a railroad spike. At the age of eleven he got his first set of drums. As a teenager he played in bands that he formed himself. A chef in a railroad restaurant taught him how to use adapted pots and pans, forks, knives and spoons as musical instruments. He frequently played in theater pit orchestras. In the 1930s he joined the Victor Young Band and thereby got many offers to appear to radio shows including the Al Jolson Lifebuoy Show, Burns and Allen (with George Burns) and Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall. In 1940, he had an uncredited part in the film Give Us Wings, and in 1942 as a hillbilly in Pass the Biscuits, Mirandy. He joined up with vocalist Del Porter and performed in Los Angeles, gaining a cult following. By 1941 the band included violinist Carl Grayson. Other band members were George Rock (voice and trumpet), Doodles Weaver (voice) and Red Ingle (voice). They became his backing band The City Slickers. Saxophonist Ed Metcalfe performed with Spike Jones for a while. Jones's wife was the singer Helen Grayco, who performed on some of his radio shows. They received a recording contract with RCA Victor and recorded extensively for the company until the mid 1950's."

Discover more about Spike Jones HERE.

Spike Jones - Only Have Eyes For You

Spike Jones - Teenage Brain Surgeon

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SWAPATORIUM: Karl Denver

Trying out new SendSpace link for extra track-

Spike Jones - Monster Movie Ball