With all the incredible records released in the 1960s and 1970s, there's a Mammoth Cave amount of records that Jumpin' Joe has never heard... until this year! Without any further ado, here are Jumpin' Joe's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024!
Number 10 - The Wrongh Black Bag: I Don't Know Why
This organ driven song with distorted bass and a scorching guitar from 1968 is an absolute killer! The band hails from Cheshire, Connecticut, and it was the B-side of their version of "Wake Me, Shake Me."
Released on Mainstream Records in 1968, it was the band's only record. Special shoutout to Mod Marty from On Target for spinning this smoker!
Number 9: Lavell Hardy - Don't Lose Your Groove
Found this record in the Jerry Gonda record collection. Don't know much about Lavell Hardy other than the fact he released three singles on Rojac. This one, being his first, did chart in Cleveland on WJMO in November of 1967 reaching number 20.
The song's gotta groove that'll make you move on the orange shag carpet down in the basement!
Number 8: Bobby Womack - What Is This?
Cleveland, Ohio native Bobby Womack recorded two different songs with the title "What Is This" (one with a ? at the end and one without). The second was released on Mint Records in 1968, but this is the version that was released in August of 1966 on Keymen Records.
For some reason, WJMO in Cleveland played the other side of the record "I Wonder," which hit number 19 on the station. "What Is This?" is definitely the hit. Shoutout of Mod Myke from "Music To Move You" for playing this one!
Number 7: Gary Scruggs - Gentle When You Say The Word
This song is a bit of a mystery. Columbia Records issued promo copies of this Tom T. Hall penned song to radio stations across the country in the late fall of 1967. For some reason, the single was never officially released.
This could have been (and should have been) a "Summer of Love" classic. It's a funky psyche-folk jam that talks about spreading love from San Francisco to New York. Found this one on a Youtube northern soul playlist. Weird.
Number 6: The Pink Plumm - Along Came Pride
The pride of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, TCP Records was hoping to find success in discovering the next big thing to come out of Winnipeg since The Guess Who.
This fantastic organ driven record hit the "Canada's Top 5" on CKRC Radio in January of 1968 before it went into oblivion. Fred Turner of The Pink Plumm would later become a member of Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Thanks to Mod Marty up in Winnipeg for spinning this one!
Number 5: Jacques Dutronc - Le Responsable
This cool French record was released in 1969, and didn't see any chart action in North America. Yes, not even in Quebec! However, the song was issued in Canada, but received no chart action. Sometimes, a song is too cool to make it big on the radio.
This really is a cool song, that Ben Shulman discovered when a DJ spun it in a soul club in Montreal, Quebec, who then started spinning it himself. Perhaps he turned Mod Marty on to the record?
Who is Ben Shulman? Along with Parka Pat Foisy, he's one of the co-hosts of the podcast Addicted To The Needle. Based on Montreal, Shulman is a record dealer that sells Canadian records to, among others, Jumpin' Joe Madigan. He also digs up all sorts of northern soul and garage gems. Shulman is also a big Remains fan, so that's bonus points in Jumpin' Joe's book!
Number 4: The Buckinghams - Simplicity
The only album cut on this top 10 comes from The Buckinghams, a band best known for classics like "Kind of A Drag," "Mercy Mercy Mercy" "Susan" and more.
Because this band was big on singles, you probably wouldn't think much of their albums. The Buckingham's 1968 album "In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow" is an absolute gem of an album, which contains songs from a wide range of genres including rock, psyche, progressive and Roger Miller. Yes, Roger Miller.
Long-time Basement Dweller and friend Dave Atkins of The New Salem Witch Hunters presented this album to Jumpin' Joe the night the show raised $13,000 during the WJCU Radiothon in 2024. Dave borrowed the album on CD from Dave Swanson, but the CD got stuck in his car's CD player, so all he could listen to was this album by The Buckinghams. Atkins said, "Joe, the more you listen to this album, the better it sounds." Because it's a CD that's played in a car, the album would pick up from where you left off when you start the car. One time, the album started with the third song on the album and ended with the second song. It's the way Atkins told Jumpin' Joe to play it.
Holy turntable! What should have been the final song on the album, "Simplicity," is a hidden classic. It's a hauntingly beautiful song that sounds like a collaboration between Ray Davis and David Bowie. It's incredible! Listen for yourself:
Number 3: The Smoke - We Can Take It
The Smoke is best known for their hard rock psyche classic "My Friend Jack," which has been immortalized on the Nuggets 2 boxset.
This was the B-side, probably intended to be played in the event "My Friend Jack" was banned on British radio. The catchy B-side could have been a hit if it had been released as an A-side. Mod Marty gave this one a couple of spins on his program, and Jumpin' Joe just had to track this one down!
Number 2: Don Kriss - Don't Tell Me
Cleveland, Ohio musicians take the top 2 spots in this year's top 10 discoveries. Released on Carrot Records in 1979, "Don't Tell Me" by Don Kriss should have been a hit! Though released in 1979, it sounds like it could have been released in 1972 as it's got that Badfinger kinda groove. Think "Baby Blue."
Basement Dweller Bob in Cleveland presented a bunch of 45s to Jumpin' Joe during the WJCU open house in April. This was Jumpin' Joe's favorite among the records...well that and a pic sleeve of Richard & The Young Lions' "Open Up Your Door," but Jumpin' Joe discovered that one in late 2003.
Number 1: Michael Stanley - Rock & Roll Man
Cleveland legend Michael Stanley takes the top spot on this year's top 10! Best known for songs like "My Town" and "Rosewood Bitters," somehow his debut single's been overlooked.
Released on Tumbleweed Records in 1972, "Rock & Roll Man" is a rock & roll classic, that should have been a staple on WNCX, where Michael Stanley was the afternoon DJ from 1990 until his death in 2021.
The song appears on his self-titled debut album, which was released in 1973. The song never charted anywhere, not even in Cleveland. This is a fantastic rock gem that Jumpin' Joe discovered while digging through the Jerry Gonda record collection. Crank it up to 11!
Which one is your favorite? What was your favorite discovery down in Jumpin' Joe's basement in the year 2024? Post it in the comments below!