Needles & Grooves AoTM /// Vol. 15 - September 2020 /// 15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) 'Jimmy Bell's Still In Town' - Win A Prize Box!

Yer Ol' Uncle D

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15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) - Jimmy Bell's Still In Town

Complete write up coming soon. Please refer to my post on page 12 in the meantime where you can buy this record directly from the artist..


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Here we go - N&G AoTM - AARP style.

Think of this month as your weird uncle trapping you in a room at a family reunion, making you listen to one of his favorite records, except your weird uncle is actually pretty cool as fuck.

I'll give clues about the artist and record. Y'all will guess and stuff. We'll all have fun. FUN!


PRIZE PACKAGE! - I'll award a prize package to a member chosen at random at the end of the month. This will be a fabulous parcel that could contain anything and everything from vinyl to CD's to music related items to Arby's coupons to my 2020 Census for you to complete. It will be absolutely thrilling for the recipient!

How do you win? Here's how -

You get an entry for making a guess at the record. To make the odds fair, it's one entry per contestant so 75 guesses = 1 entry.

You can gain another entry in the drawing by buying this months record direct from the artist. I'll post a link upon reveal and everyone, even my international friends, will have the chance to purchase from the artist with very economical pricing and shipping. One thing I feel strongly about - helping out the artist in any way possible. Everyone has an opportunity to do that this month. Just shoot me a screen shot of your purchase for a second, potentially life-changing entry. If it's easier for you to buy from your local or another outlet, you know that's totally cool. Supporting those folks is important too. Ultimately, the gist here is getting a record sold, putting it on your turntable and making you a happier listener for it.

If you're the first to correctly guess the record, you'll gain a third possible entry that has the potential to spin the world off it's axis.

Welp, that's about it for now.

It's N&G AoTM Volume 15! Have fun, kids!

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Alright, here 'tis -

15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) - Jimmy Bell's Still In Town

Imagine delivering so much musically, on so many simultaneous levels, that you were delivered nothing.

That is the curious case of 15-60-75, a group so inventive during their time they were loved, revered, respected and essential to driving the northern Ohio original music scene but were never rewarded with a record contract because, ultimately, the suits just couldn't figure out what to do with them. While bands around them signed deals, The Numbers Band set up camp in and around Kent, Ohio and played their ass off. Continuously. For 5 decades. They're still doing it. They formed in 1969. Their most recent gig was on 6-27-20, a benefit for Jilly's Music Room in the middle of the COVID apocalypse. The fact The Numbers Band has been active for 51 years with no big label and no promotional machine backing them is not only a testament to their ability to connect with people but a reflection of the timless quality of their music.

This is the first record released by 15-60-75. It was recorded live at The Agora ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio in 1975. They were opening for Bob Marley & The Wailers. They weren't afraid. You can hear that.

Why did I pick this record? A couple reasons...

In life, you have a few epiphany records. Records that just click with you in some inexplicable, visceral fashion that you come back to them over and over and over again. They never lose their musical lustre. The excitement of listening never fades. This is an epiphany record for me. It moves me. It's a live record, and a debut record at that.

Musically, this thing is a juggernaut. And it has more heads than Medusa. Take the first side of the record. The one-two punch of 'Animal Speaks > About The Eye Game' gives you a punk rock drum beat with bass to match. Horn fills sound like they're straight outta Memphis. Angular guitar breaks would be right at home on a Television record. Then, when you least expect it, the horns erupt into a Coltrane skronk. Rising above it all are the vocals of Robert Kidney, spitting out words that would be at home on a beat poetry stage with simultaneous vulnerability and authority. Never have you heard someone convey a desperate message like "Know what I am, know what I am, alone, afraid, and living fast as I can, and no one will save me, if I cannot save myself" while also knowing the singer is in complete command and most likely bulletproof. 'The Narrow Road' closes the side and does a complete 180. Think Santana as the house band at Junior Kimbrough's juke joint. The best way I can describe it - trance latin blues. This record has so many styles, works so many musical angles and the band is tight and in command no matter where it goes. And remember - they're cranking this out while opening for Bob Marley. Balls. There's a lot of depth on this record. There's a LOT going on, and none of it is gratuitous. It bears repeated listens. Something different will present itself each time.

15-60-75 never really got much exposure outside of Ohio and I wanted to change that. Listeners are being shortchanged not hearing this band. Anyone familiar with my posts here know I highly value music showcasing creativity, emotion and the organic nature of a band cranking it out live. This one checks all the boxes.

This forum is about sharing good music with good people and this fits the bill. If you experience a fraction of the enjoyment I've gotten from this record over the decades, you'll be happy.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the guess thread. It was a blast.

Most of all, thanks to everyone for listening to and supporting this band.

Here are some links to explore -

As I've stated a few times in this thread, I'm passionate about supporting the artist directly whenever possible. You can order this record from Robert Kidney via the link below. Even with shipping, either US or international, it's cheap. Buying here also gets you an entry into the prize box giveaway at the end of the month. Be sure to make me aware of your order so I can add your entry.


Here's a link Robert sent me to an article that was written by band archivist Jason Prufer that chronicles the entire ordeal of getting the 'Jimmy Bell's Still In Town' recording. It's very interesting. Spoiler - the Bob Marley show was the band's third and final attempt to get their live show on tape.


Spotify link to the record...



The band's most recent live show from just two months ago. Fifty-one years strong...



Some hot live stuff from 1980...



A cool take on 'Jimmy Bell' from '77. Audio is rough, but it's cool...



An example of the mid 80's...

 
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As expected on this forum, y'all have chosen some outstanding records.

Stabs taken (1 entry each) -

@Tyr - Little Walter Hate To See You Go
@Lee Newman - Steve Jordan/Mix Master Mike Beat Odyssey 2020
@Waitressboy - Hanson Middle Of Nowhere The Greatest Hits, Aqua
@bettim84 - Buddy Guy Sweet Tea, Pere Ubu 360 Degrees Of Simulated Stereo
@NewsFedora - Cowboy Bebop Original Soundtrack, Back To The Future Original Soundtrack
@Skalap - Evanescence Fallen, The Rolling Stones Goats Head Soup
@duke86fan - Eminem The Eminem Show, Chipmunk Punk
@supahypeag - Warren Zevon Excitable Boy, Marcus King Eldorado
@johnpisme - Boz Scaggs Mrmphis
@Mr Moore - Black Diamond Heavies Every Damn Time
@ranbalam - Nikki Sudden Treasure Island, Bob Marley Legend
@GarbageInGarbageOut - Masked Intruder III
@DMacanT - Bob Mould Blue Hearts
@MadLucas - Tom Waits Bad As Me
@ByersVinyl - Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works 1
@scotthilk - The Lumineers Cleopatra
@Mr Moore - Rory Gallagher Photo-Finish, A Reggae Tribute To The Rolling Stones
@Lee Newman - Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires Dereconstructed
@Sonicpharmacist - Jeff Beck Beck-Ola
@Poly-Rythmo - Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires There Is A Bomb In Gilead
@Murfocakes - Robert Cray ?, The Utopia Strong
@Joe Mac - Damien Marley Welcome To Jamrock
@Skalap - Gong You
@blissfullychaotic - Bad Brains God Of Love
@DMacanT - Seasick Steve You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
@Turbo - The Clash London Calling
@dhodo - 15-60-75 The Numbers Band - Jimmy Bell's Still In Town
@TCell - Gary Clark Jr. - This Land
@GritNGlitter - The Wood Brothers Kingdom In My Mind
@wmeugene - SuperHeavy S/T
@tvham - Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells A Story
@gaporter - Burning Spear Garvey's Ghost, The Damned Damned Damned Damned
@duke86fan - Chipmunk Punk
@ChristoBee - Mourning [A] BLKstar - Blk Muzak
@Endtro - Country Westerns S/T
@Crenshaw Blvd - The Specials Encore
@TransformerMan - The Dynamics Version Excursions, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Live
@Murfocakes - The Utopia Strong S/T
@Poly-Rythmo - Alejandro Escovedo, The Cars Live At The Agora
@debianlinux - Tom Petty Greatest Hits
@panino - Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
@Colonel_Angus - Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl
@Kris - CSNY 4 Way Street
@Jan - When Pigs Fly
@supahypeag - The Bizarros / Bad Dudes
@D Jilla - Wussy Attica!
@BazookaTooth - Sage Francis

First to make a correct guess (1 entry)-
@dhodo

Ordered LPs from the band (1 entry each) -
@gafacaode
@Endtro
@Lee Newman
@TransformerMan
@NewsFedora
@duke86fan
@Skalap
@supahypeag
@kvetcha
@dhodo
@Turbo
@nolalady
@Matt M
@DMacanT
@MadLucas
@Bravoceratops
@AnthonyI
@mgp
@panino
@Djxfactor511
@cul8er
@ByersVinyl
@Jan
@ranbalam
@Ethos99
@HiFi Guy
@Poly-Rythmo
@mgp
@Joe Mac
@ByersVinyl
 
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