Reggie Milner – Soul Machine
Listen/Download – Reggie Milner – Soul Machine
Listen/Download – Quickest Way Out – Tick Tock Baby (It’s a Quarter to Love)
Greetings all.
The end of the week is approaching, and so I simply must remind you that come this and every Friday night at 9PM you should twist the knobs on your radiola and tune in the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva Radio for the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. If you cannot be there at airtime, you can always subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device through the TuneIn app, or grab yourself an MP3 right here at the blog.
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Before we get started, I would like to hep you to the groovy new 45 by the mighty M-Tet out of San Francisco, California.
The M-Tet lay down a tasty stew of classic, Booker T/Meters-style organ grooves, with an underpinning of funk, soul and jazz. Well played and produced, ‘Mike’s New Adidas’ b/w ‘All Growns Up’ is a must have. You can grab yourself a hard copy of the 45 at their site, or grab the new album ‘Finger Poppin’ Time’, which includes some very cool covers, too (or their first LP ‘Hot Buttered Rum’) in iTunes.
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Today’s selection is a prime example of why it pays to keep your ears open, and maintain avenues of communication with like-minded collector types.
Some years ago, I put my hands on a 45 by a group called the Quickest Way Out, doing a groovy little tune called ‘Tick Tock Baby (It’s a Quarter to Love)’. While discussing this record with some on-line friends, someone brought it to my attention that the record in question shared a backing track with another 45, which not coincidentally is the record you see before you today, Reggie Milner’s ‘Soul Machine’.
‘Tick Tock Baby (It’s a Quarter to Love)’ is a tasty side and all, but once I heard the Reggie Milner side, all bets – as they say – were off.
Released in 1970, and released on Memphis-based Volt (though recorded in Detroit by Ollie McLaughlin) ‘Soul Machine’ is a funky killer, driven by a thick, twangy guitar, aided by clavinet, thumping bass and pounding drums.
The energy is taken up a few notches during the chorus, and there’s a great drum breakdown midway through the song.
The Quickest Way Out 45 is a slightly less banging affair, with a high, female lead vocal, though the drum break is a little more open. Both 45s (released in 1970) include a cover version of Barbara Mason’s ‘Hello Stranger’ on the flip.
Milner had two 45s on Volt (and one earlier single for the Ron’s label), with his first ‘Habit Forming Love’ b/w ‘And I Love Her’ from 1969 getting some airplay in Detroit.
According to Keith Rylatt’s excellent ‘Groovesville USA’ book, Milner was hit by a train and killed in 1980.
I hope you dig the tunes, and I’ll see you all on Monday.
Keep the faith
Larry
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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.
Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).
Themocracy