RPM Records, an imprint of the Cherry Red Group, continues to delve deep into the vaults for another pair of rare rock-and-roll releases.

Larry's Rebels has long been a beloved band to fans in the group's native New Zealand; with RPM's release of I Feel Good: The Essential Purple Flashes of Larry's Rebels 1965-1969, the rest of the world can get hip to the Rebels, too!  Active for a rough five-year period during which time the band, like so many others, endured personnel changes, Larry's Rebels notched seven hits in New Zealand between 1967 and 1969.

Formed by Dennis Stott, John Williams, Terry Rouse and Harry Leekie in 1962 as instrumental combo The Young Ones, the band changed its name the very next year to The Rebels.  But its identity wasn't solidified until the addition of singer Larry Morris in 1964.  With Viv McCarthy having replaced Leekie on bass and Morris ensconced on lead vocals, The Rebels secured a long-term residency at Auckland's popular Top 20 Club in 1965.  So successful was the club stint that the group came to the attention of the New Zealand arm of Philips Records.  Philips signed Larry's Rebels to a two-record deal which kicked off with Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "This Empty Place," introduced by Dionne Warwick but popularized in the U.K. by The Searchers, The Fortunes and Cilla Black.  Following the success of that single and its follow-up "Long Ago, Far Away" (not included here), the group's manager Russell Clark and promoter Benny Levin formed an independent label, Impact Records.  Larry's Rebels were off and running, and soon nabbed a tour slot alongside Herman's Hermits and Tom Jones.

All but the first two tracks - "This Empty Place" and "So Much in Love with You," both originally on Philips - have been derived from the group's Impact discography.  At Impact, the band proved its tremendous pop and rock versatility, adapting with the rapidly-changing musical times.  I Feel Good features, in addition to the title track penned by Allen Toussaint, songs by Pete Townshend of The Who ("It's Not True"), Doc Pomus and Phil Spector ("What Am I to Do"), and Mark Lindsay and Terry Melcher ("Mo'reen") in  addition to the band's own compositions.

Despite having been signed to EMI in late 1967 garnered a significant following in New Zealand and Australia, Larry's Rebels fragmented in early 1969 when Larry Morris opted to leave the group even as Paul Revere and the Raiders cover "Mo'reen" was rising up the New Zealand charts.  The Rebels pressed on sans Larry, represented by a pair of tracks near the end of this compilation.  With Glyn Mason on lead vocals, The Rebels' "My Son John" even reached No. 1 in the country.  But the group was breaking apart at the seams, and when its follow-up failed to dent the charts, the members amicably parted ways.  The 25 "purple flashes" on I Feel Good have been remastered by Simon Lynch, and the full-color 16-page booklet features detailed new liner notes by producer Grant Gillanders including recollections by the band members.

In a career that's taken him from the United States to Great Britain to his current home of Italy, Ronnie Jones has been playing rhythm and blues for over 50 years.  RPM has recently collected an overlooked part of his discography as Satisfy My Soul: The Complete Recordings 1964-1968.  Jones came to England with the United States Air Force and often found himself at the Flamingo Allnighter Club in Soho, a favorite spot of many African-American servicemen stationed near London.  At the Flamingo, Jones connected with musicians who provided him entrée into the fertile R&B scene.  Ronnie guested on vocals with Georgie Fame and was invited to join Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated alongside Graham Bond and future Cream bandmates Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce.  Jones only lasted a year with Korner's group ("a strange situation of jazz musicians playing blues with jazz arrangements," per Ronnie in the new liner notes) but he stayed long enough to record the band's rendition of "Night Time is the Right Time," the track which kicks off this 16-song anthology featuring some of Britain's greatest musicians and a host of familiar soul staples.

Soon, the Profumo Affair rendered the Flamingo off-limits for servicemen, and Ronnie Jones returned to the United States upon his discharge from the service.  But manager Ronan O'Rahilly lured him back to London with the promise of a solo career and his own band.  With The Night-Timers (Eddie Thornton on trumpet, Joe Moretti on guitar, Dave Morse on organ, Dave Price on bass and Bill Stevens on drums), Jones became a sensation on the club circuit, and was signed to Decca.  Though debut single "Pin a Rose on You" was a pop confection produced by Les Reed ("There's a Kind of Hush," "It's Not Unusual"), Jones showed off his R&B chops on the flipside, "I Need Your Loving."  (Around this time, Jones revamped the line-up of The Night Timers, and it briefly boasted future jazz great John McLaughlin on guitar as well as McLaughlin's friend, John Paul Jones!)  Les Reed helmed Jones' next Decca single, while the third was produced by Rolling Stones impresario Andrew Loog Oldham's production company.

Following a break with manager O'Rahilly, Jones decamped for Parlophone Records where he was backed by The Blue Jays on Ashford and Simpson's "You're Lookin' Good."  He next found himself under the auspices of producer Derek Lawrence who got him a deal with Mercury Records' U.S. Smash imprint.  "Satisfy My Soul" and its flipside "My Only Souvenir" featured more A-list backing by Ritchie Blackmore and Nicky Hopkins!  Jones continued going from label to label, releasing singles on CBS and Polydor as soul music continued to have a foothold in his adopted home of the United Kingdom.

On Polydor, Jones scored an unlikely hit - the fuzz-guitar-tinged "Mama Come On Home," which didn't score in the U.K. but became a favorite in Italy.    While touring there, Ronnie Jones fell in love with the country - so much that he moved there, and continues to reside there today!  Over the years he's continued to write and record in Italy, but RPM's collection marks a definitive look at his soul and R&B roots in England.  Nick Rossi has provided new liner notes for this release, and Simon Murphy has remastered at Another Planet Music.

Both the Larry's Rebels and Ronnie Jones titles are available now from RPM Records at the links below!

Larry's Rebels, I Feel Good: The Essential Purple Flashes of Larry's Rebels 1965-1969 (RPM RETRO 966, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. This Empty Place (Philips PF 338073, 1965)
2. So Much in Love with You (Philips PF 338073, 1965)
3. It's Not True (IR 1010, 1966)
4. What Am I to Do (IR 1004, 1966)
5. I Feel Good (IR 1015, 1966)
6. Whatcha Gonna Do 'Bout It (IR 1015, 1966)
7. Painter Man (NZ Version) (IR 1018, 1967)
8. Let's Think of Something (NZ Version) (IR 1022, 1967)
9. Flying Scotsman (Study in Black, IMP 104, 1967)
10. Shakin' Up Some Soul (Study in Black, IMP 104, 1967)
11. Inside Looking Out (Study in Black, IMP 104, 1967)
12. Speak My Mind (Study in Black, IMP 104, 1967)
13. Dream Time (IR 1030, 1967)
14. I'll Make You Happy (IR 1030, 1967)
15. Painter Man (Australian Version) (IR 1018, 1967)
16. Let's Think of Something (Australian Version) (IR 1022, 1967)
17. Fantasy (IR 1033, 1968)
18. Coloured Flowers (IR 1033, 1968)
19. Halloween (IR 1035, 1968)
20. Everybody's Girl (IR 1035, 1968)
21. Mo'reen (IR 1041, 1969)
22. By the Time (IR 1041, 1969)
23. My Son John - The Rebels (IR 1043, 1969)
24. Passing You By - The Rebels (IR 1015, 1969)
25. Swing the Jingle for Coca-Cola (Bonus Track) (IR 1040, 1968)

All tracks on Impact Records unless otherwise indicated.

Ronnie Jones, Satisfy My Soul: The Complete Recordings 1964-1968 (RPM RETRO 966, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. Night Time is the Right Time - Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated
2. Let's Pin a Rose on You
3. I Need Your Loving
4. My Love
5. It's All Over
6. Anyone Who Knows What Love Is
7. Nobody But You
8. You're Lookin' Good
9. I'm So Clean
10. Satisfy My Soul
11. My Only Souvenir
12. Little Bitty Pretty One
13. Put Your Tears Away
14. In My Love Mind
15. Mama Come On Home
16. Without Love (There is Nothing)

Track 1 from Night Time is the Right Time, Decca LK 4616, 1964
Tracks 2-3 from Decca single F 12012, 1964
Tracks 4-5 from Decca single F 12066, 1965
Tracks 6-7 from Decca single F 12146, 1965
Tracks 8-9 from Parlophone single R 5326, 1965
Tracks 10-11 from Smash single S-2047, 1966
Tracks 12-13 from CBS single 2699, 1967
Tracks 14-15 from Polydor single 56222, 1967
Track 16 from A-side of CBS single 3304, 1968 (B-side repeated Track 12)