Saturday, February 14, 2015

The Shazam - Tribute and Demo Tracks

I miss the Shazam.  One of the best of the early bands signed to Bruce Bodeen's "Not Lame" label,   The Shazam channeled classic 60's rock (The Move, The Who, The Kinks and of course the Beatles) into an updated and relevant rockin' Power Pop sound.  The Shazam were active between 1994 and 2009 and produced four full length albums and one EP, each a classic.   In 2010 lead singer Hans Rotenberry put out a great duo effort with Nashville producer Brad Jones entitled Mountain Jack.  One of the best albums of that year...

I'm hoping for a reunion or simply the next fine effort from Hans Rotenberry.   Until then,  I've collected a set of Shazam studio tracks from various tribute records.   I've also included three tracks from their 1995 demo cassette "Shake 500" not released on subsequent albums.   Enjoy this compilation and let me know about any track's I'm missing.

1 Twilight - Cover of ELO song from "Lynne Me Your "Ears" tribute compilation
2 Is Your Is Mine - Cover of Gene Clark song from " Full Circle" tribute compilation
3 Cool City - Unreleased track from "Here's To All The Misfits" rarities compilation
4 It's Over - Hans Rotenberry and Brad Jones cover Badfinger song from "Come and Get It" tribute compilation
5 Hangin' Around With You - Cover of Shoes song from "Shoe Fetish" tribute compilation
6 Helen Wheels - Cover of Wings song from "Coming Up" Paul McCartney tribute compilation
7 The Concept - Cover or Teenage Fanclub song from "What A Concept" tribute compilation
8 Only Bones - Unreleased track from 1995 Shake 500 cassette demo
9 I Can See for Miles - Cover of Who song from "The New Sell Out" tribute compilation
10 A to B - Unreleased track from 1995 Shake 500 cassette demo
11 Me and You - Unreleased track from 1995 Shake 500 cassette demo
12 Please Please Me - Fake live version of Beatles cover from fan flexi-disc

3 comments:

johnnybgoode said...

I'd like to see the Shazam come back with a live song on the TV show Nashville, to give them the exposure they deserve, then a US tour. Thank you SO MUCH for this compilation. Please come back and tour, guys. I want to see what I missed. I never thought I would say this, but their version of "the concept" by teenage fanclub bests one of the best bands of all time in their prime! thanks again for putting these comps together.

seakret said...

They just opened for Pugwash on the west coast so looks like they are still around.

rhettchristopher72 said...

- track 10 has a real name and it is "Generation Zzzz" not 'A to B'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ogBvuolmo

- "Cool City" was first released as a digital download back in 2003 via Ume Digital (it was released on CD for the first time on 'Here's To All The Mistfits..." in 2009).

- "I Can See For Miles" - there are 2 different mixes of this song: one is on the New Sell Out and the other version is exclusive to the "Here's To All The Misfits" EP

- Hans Rotenberry guests as a 2nd vocalist on the Gene Clark tribute CD; the song is "When Time Stood Still"

- Hans Rotenberry plays theramin on Bob Evans CD: Goodnight Bull Creek


If you're collecting tracks from officially released various comps, you've missed these:

- Okay [Shake 500 version] - Super Tuesday single RQTZ 029 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJCZORvypHM

- I Hate That Song [1995 demo] - Super Tuesday single RQTZ 029 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqE2BPmcn5M

- Where Do We Go [acoustic] - Calling Sydney single RQTZ 038 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ub87KHuRQ

- Out Of The Blue [rescued from cassette] - Popgun 2000 SCACD 124 same version found on Not Lame's 1997 Shazam self-titled disc with bonus tracks.

- Calling Sydney [edit/remix] - Calling Sydney single RQTZ 038 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-01cht9Du3Y

- RU Receiving [edit] 2:47 - RU Receiving single RQTZ 031https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fOeZz2HGrA also found on the Not Lame CD-R promo released with Meteor (as shown inthe youtube link) (The Godspeed version is 3:10 in time)

- Godspeed The Shazam [medley] - Not Lame Pure Pop For Cool People (sampler) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMqvnLqC0co

- Sparkleroom [live at The Casbah] - This Is Sparklefest (2003 sampler) 158203 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMqvnLqC0co

- Blew It [Japan mix] - Shazam promo CD-R released with Meteor in 2009 from Not Lame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy6z-CUzaHY


There was also an interesting promo that is 'out there' from 2000 called 'Demos' that was a Rainbow Quartz CD-R.
It is basically a Rev 9 album of rough mixes.
While I believe the tracks aren't demos - they are in fact just different mixes - or rough mixes/test mixes but not true demos in the sense of minimal audio production that is indicative of a demo.

01 On The Airwaves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCN30dwG0y4

02 Wood And Silver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJJyfjonz2Q

03 Okay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9f_1K7ERgE

04 Periscope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tm1SesBeOk

05 Month O' Moons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFllx2jc5qI

06 Revolution 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COo1JMhsiFw

Check out The Shzam's official Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSecretFrequency