Review: “The Goo Goo Muck,” by Ronnie Cook and the Gaylads


TRACK 15

“The Goo Goo Muck,” by Ronnie Cook and the Gaylads

from Keb Darge & Little Edith’s Legendary Wild Rockers: A Collection of Rare Rockabilly, Surf and Exotica (BBE)

Liner notes: “I cruise through the city and I roam the streets/Lookin’ for something that is nice to eat,” purrs Ronnie Cook over a sleazy sax groove on this 1962 obscurity out of Bakersfield, California. The song was memorably covered by psychobilly greats The Cramps on their 1981 album, Psychedelic Jungle.

Behind the music: Scottish DJ Keb Darge played a pivotal role in establishing Britain’s northern soul club scene, which celebrates obscure US R&B. Following his compilations of funk and jump blues, this boisterous 20-track set also features The Reekers‘ “Don’t Call Me Flyface” and “King Kong,” by Tarantula Ghoul and Her Gravediggers.

Check it out if you like: Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Link Wray, and other early rock mavericks.

Click here for more music features from Mother Jones.

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OUR DEADLINE MATH PROBLEM

It’s risky, but also unavoidable: A full one-third of the dollars that we need to pay for the journalism you rely on has to get raised in December. A good December means our newsroom is fully staffed, well-resourced, and on the beat. A bad one portends budget trouble and hard choices.

The December 31 deadline is drawing nearer, and if we’re going to have any chance of making our goal, we need those of you who’ve never pitched in before to join the ranks of MoJo donors.

We simply can’t afford to come up short. There is no cushion in our razor-thin budget—no backup, no alternative sources of revenue to balance our books. Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the fierce journalism we do. That’s why we need you to show up for us right now.

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