Roy Loney Discography

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Out After Dark, Solid Smoke SS-9001, 1979

Also released with same tracks on Line Records (6.24248-AP), West Germany, 1979 and on Attic Records (LAT 1074), Canada, 1979 -- "With a Girl Like You" replacing "Trophy".

PRODUCED BY STEPHEN FISHER AND ROY LONEY

Recorded and mixed at John Altmann Recording, San Francisco
Engineer: John Altmann
Second Engineer: Stephen O'Hara
Mastered by Ken Perry at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood
Art Direction a Marty Arbunich, Ricko Tee and Ellie Byrom
Album Design; Ellie Byrom
Photography: Doug Baird
Therapy: Sandra Fox

Roy Loney: Lead Vocals & Rhythm guitars
Danny Mihm: Drums & percussion
Larry Lea: Lead & rhythm guitars, vocals
James Ferrell: Lead, slide and rhythm guitars
Maurice Tani: Bass, vocals

Additional keyboards: Nick Buck

Roy decided to form a band again and got Danny Mihm on drums and James Ferrell on guitar (both from The Flamin’ Groovies), Larry Lea on guitar and Maurice Tani on bass. They got a record contract with Solid Smoke records, a label specialised in re-issues of old rock and roll records. The result was this rock’n’roll masterpiece!

Side A
1-Born To Be Your Fool (Roy A. Loney). This record starts as the ”Artistic As Hell” EP with acoustic guitars, but when the rest of the band joins in this rocker it’s the electric guitars in the foreground. This record really takes over as the true follow-up to Teenage Head! The riff in this song is a bit like a rock’n’ roll version of Smoke On The Water!

2-Used Hoodoo (Roy A. Loney). This song is based on a led heavy riff that perfectly suits the mystic lyrics.

3-Phantom Mover (Roy A. Loney) is a wild rock’n’ roll number and the song was, according to Roy, written before the band took its name.

4-Neat Petite (Roy A. Loney) with its hypnotic chords sounds like a combination of Rolling Stones and Talking Heads.

5-Return To Sender (Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell). This is the only song on this album that makes me a bit confused. It’s a very good song, they play it very well, but why choose a very well-known Elvis song?

6-People People (Roy A. Loney). Back to a new Roy rock’n’ roller again and it’s time to turn the record over.

Side B
1) Rockin' In The Graveyard (M. Burnt). This is a very good choice of a cover, an old obscure song recorded by Jackie Morningstar. It’s very funny and has a very good rocking groove!

2) I Love It (Roy A. Loney). This mid tempo rocker is very Rolling Stones and the melody is just fantastic with a chorus tailor made to be a number one single!

3) Scum City (Roy A. Loney). A raw and dark primitive rock and roller with a great guitar break between the verses.

4) Trophy (Roy A. Loney). Trophy is a very piano driven mid tempo rock ballad with a melody that is so good. Why wasn’t it released as a single?

5) She Run Away (Roy A. Loney). It’s time for a very melodic rock song with great guitar solos between the verses.

6) San Francisco Girls (Roy A. Loney). The record ends with this very up-tempo garage rock and roll number where Roy compares the girls in San Francisco with girls around the world. Guess where the best girls are? I think he had “California Girls” by The Beach Boys in mind when he wrote this.

Summary: This record is perfect! OK, I could live without Return To Sender, but they plays it so good. This album is even better than Teenage Head! Everything is better! The songs are better, the production is better the musicians plays tighter. The sound is perfect through the whole album, a perfect rock production (actually one of the best sounding rock albums I know!)
Teenage Head is an all time classic but this isn’t. Why?

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Comments from Marty Arbunich (former co-owner of Solid Smoke Records):

Phantom Mover: Not only did the song come first, it was the inspiration for the group name. Not sure who suggested it. 

Trophy vs. Return to Sender: I can't recall the former ever being played by Roy in concert, or anyone else ever wondering why it wasn't released as a single. On the other hand, Return to Sender was a regular in the set, very popular on stage and somewhat on the radio, and considered a logical single (when you keep the era and its radio in mind) by all involved, including Roy, as I recall.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Phantom Tracks, Solid Smoke, SS-9002 1980

Roy Loney: Lead Vocals & Rhythm guitars
Danny Mihm: Drums & percussion
Larry Lea: Lead & rhythm guitars, vocals
James Ferrell: Lead, slide and rhythm guitars
Maurice Tani: Fretted and fretless bass, guitar, vocals

Produced by John Rewind and Roy Loney
Recorded January 1980 at John Altmann Recording San Francisco
POOR TUXEDO Produced by Stephen Fisher, John Rewind and Roy Loney.
Engineers: John Altmann and Phil Crescenzo
Art Direction/Marty Arbunich Rico Tee and Ellie Byrom
Cover Design/Ellie Byrom
Photography: Charly Franklin
Poster Photo: Chester Simpson

The band returned with this even rockier album. The original issue of this album was a 12” record to be played at 45 rpm. Four of the songs was recorded live in the studio and the others (except Poor Tuxedo) with very few overdubs which means this record has a rawer sound. And the acoustic guitars are almost gone.

Side A
1) Emmy Emmy (Roy A. Loney) starts off this album with a Stonsey riff.

2) Down The Road Apiece (Raye) is a song Rolling Stones among others covered in the 60’s. This version is even rawer and played in a furious tempo with great bass playing from Maurice Tani.

3) You Ain't Gettin Out (Roy A. Loney). Here we go Rockabilly with what I suppose is a fretless bass guitar. Great!

4) Hundred Miles An Hour (Roy A. Loney) is a garage rock version of the song from Artistic As Hell with Chuck Berry solos through the whole song

Side B

1) Act Of Love (Roy A. Loney – Sandra Fox). Back with more Stones influences. A hard rocking song with very “special” lyrics.

2) Don't Believe Those Lies (Roy A. Loney) is the other song from Artistic As Hell that gets a Chuck Berry treatment. Go Jimmy Go!

3) I Must Behave  (Roy A. Loney - Maurice Tani – Sandra Fox). This is a punk song with heavy bass and an awesome guitar solo with a lot of feedback from Larry Lea.

4) This song is the only ballad on this album. And what a ballad! I think this is recorded during the sessions that produced ”Out After Dark” as the production sounds the same with acoustic guitars. A very good song with a great guitar solo again.

This record was released in France as a 33 1/3 rpm LP, Lolita 5016 1984, with two songs added, the fan club single Hanky Panky / With A Girl Like You. For some reason they have done a very bad re-mastering work on these two songs with too much compression which sounds weird.

This is also a very good album. I miss the good production from Out After Dark, but maybe that’s what they wanted. Just pure rock and roll which they got. Just one ballad, and that’s the last track and in my opinion the best song on the album.

Extra tracks on the 2010 download release:

Black Widow (Wray). This is a great cover of the old Link Wray classic recorded live. Great guitar playing from Larry & James (is Roy on rythm guitar maybe?)

Shakin' All Over (Frederick Heath). This live version is more true to the original than the Groovis version which means that it's shorter. A great version!

I Fought The Law (Sonny Curtis). One more great cover from the same live show in Canada. I really hope this concert will be released. It's high octane rock'n roll!

With A Girl Like You (Reg Presley) Fan club single

Hanky Panky (Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich) Fan club single

Poor Tuxedo (Loney). This is a different version but not much different. The backing seems to be the same as the original version with different solo guitar and vocals, and there's no "ooooh" backing vocals.

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Comments from Marty Arbunich (former co-owner of Solid Smoke Records):

Poor Tuxedo: Yes, left over from "Out After Dark," as were "With a Girl Like You" and "Hanky Panky."

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Contents Under Pressure, Solid Smoke Records/War Bride WB 9003, 1981

Roy Loney: Lead Vocals & Guitars
Larry Lea: Lead & rhythm guitars, vocals
John Kaldon: Rhythm and Lead guitars, vocals
Maurice Tani: Electric Bass, Guitar, vocals
Johnny Surrell: Drums & percussion

Guests
Nick Buck: Keyboards
Morey Goldstein: Saxophone
John Rewind: Guitar, Percussion
Rafael Martinez: Percussion

Produced by John Rewind and Roy Loney
Recorded at John Altmann Recording San Francisco
Engineers: John Altmann and Woody Simmons
Album Supervision: Marty Arbunich and Rico Tee
Cover Design/Ellie Byrom
Photography: Charly Franklin

A new year, a new line-up of the band, a new record label (well not exactly, but another name anyway), and a new 80’s sound with synthesizers! I don’t like synthesizers from the 80’s and the cold sterile sound that many records had then. This is the worst record Roy Loney did in that aspect. But it’s full of good playing, very good songs and the synthesizers are not that dominant. It’s very different from Roy’s other albums and was probably a good try to make a hit record. It could have been, but it wasn’t.

Sorry (Wright-Young). The album opens with a beat from the new drummer Johnny Surrell. The song is an Easybeats cover and is as raw as Emmy Emmy from the last album and there are no synthesizers on this track. The change you can hear is that there’s another drummer. He has a very different style to Danny Mihm and I prefer Danny’s playing.

We're all Heroes (Roy A. Loney) is a funky number with electric piano and, yes, some synthesizers in the background.

Dead Ringer (Larry Lea - Roy A. Loney). A funky pop rock song again with great bass playing from Maurice Tani.

Different Kind (Roy A. Loney – Sandra Fox). This is the track that stands out as the longest track on the album and the track that has the most dominant use of synthesizers and even a saxophone. But it’s still a very good song.

Swinging Single (Roy A. Loney). Roy goes calypso! Maybe it’s a synthesizer in this song, but it’s used as and sounds like a cheap old electric organ. A sax solo again. Can Roy do calypso? Yes!

Too Funky Yo Live (Roy A. Loney). Now it’s almost Heavy Metal but with a great melody and a great riff. Great guitar solo and great bass playing again!

She's No Lady (Roy A. Loney). A good rocker but a way too much use of a synthesizer as the main instrument in the background.

Heartful Of Soul (Graham Gouldman). This is a very good choice for a cover, an old Yardbirds song written by Graham Gouldman of 10cc fame.

Cinema Girls (Maurice Tani - Arthur Adcock - Roy Loney) A song with the line ”Real women are OK / But they’re just not cinema girls” can’t be bad. And it isn’t. A rocker in the best Loney tradition.

Last Time I'll Cry (Roy A. Loney). There are many good songs about breaking up and this is one of the best! A great melody with great harmony vocal and a crying double tracked guitar solo. Why wasn’t this song released as a single?

Intrigue Indeed (Roy A. Loney) is a bit like George Thorogood with great slide guitar. It’s a synthesizer in this song that is a bit annoying. But it’s the 80’s and it could be worse!

Contents Under Pressure (Roy A. Loney). A very good song again which for some reason reminds me of Buddy Holly. A great melody and great production! One of my favourites again!

This album is tough to review. It is full of good songs and the band rocks as good as ever. Even if I prefer Danny Mihm on drums, Johnny Surrell is also a very good drummer. I just don’t think his style suits this kind of music. If it had been today, the synthesizers have sounded better as they can now produce realistic sounds from vintage organs and pianos. But this was 1981... If I wrote this in 1981 I would say this is a very good album and could, with its modern production and good songs, be an album for the charts. Now it just sounds a bit dated. I will say a bit dated because it’s not as bad as I have read other people think it is.

Roy Loney, Rock And Roll Dance Party With..., Solid Smoke / War Bride 9006, 1982

Also released with same tracks on Line Records West Germany (6.25172-AP) and on Rockhouse Records Holland (LPL-8203), 1982

The three best songs were released on 7” 45 rpm: A) Magdalena, B) Lana Lee, Goodnight Alcatraz

Roy Loney: Lead  Vocals, Guitar

DANCE PARTY CREW
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Larry Lea (lead 1, 4-7, 9, 10, 12), James Ferrell (lead 2, 3), John Kaldor (lead 13)
Bass: Michael Weinstein, Maurice Tani (7, 8)
Drums: Kenny Johnson, Johnny Surrell (7, 8)
Keyboards: Stu Blank (1, 3, 5, 10,12), Nick Buck (7, 8).  Andy Lea (11)
Saxophores: Rick Martin
Harmonica: Rick Estrin
Percussion: Danny Mihm
Backing Vocals: Larry, Kenny, Michael, Maurice (7, 8)

PRODUCED BY ROY LONEY FOR WAR BRIDE AND ROCKHOUSE RECORDS
7 & 8 Produced by John Rewind & Roy Loney
Recorded at John Altmann Recording San Francisco
Arrangements: Roy Loney & Larry Lea
Engineers: John Altmann and Mikae Shamus
Album Supervision: Marty Arbunich and Rico Tee
Cover Design/Ellie Byrom
Illustration: Thelma Hansen

 

After the failure of making a hit-record, Roy went back to basic with a couple of friends. It’s the first Roy Loney solo album as the Phantom Movers had broke up. Many people consider this album as a big improvement compared to the previous album. I don’t agree. There are three different recording sessions here at least. Category A is some kind of live recordings in the studio. Category B is new studio recordings and category C is left-over’s from the previous album (I think) where there are that sound with synthesizers. That makes this album sounds a bit like bits and pieces thrown together. But, I must say, there are some very good songs on this album.

Side A
1) Ain't Got A Thing (Clement - Burgess) is a dirty rock song with great ”Duane Eddy” guitar from Larry Lea. This one I beleive is a studio recording.

2) My Baby Comes To Me (Leiber - Stoller), This is one of the "live" tracks and it sounds a bit lame. The only drum to be heard is the snare and even if it’s a good rock song it doesn’t take off.

3)  Gonna Rock Tonight (Roy A. Loney). One more live track and a very lame version of the old Groovies number.

4) Magdalena (Roy A. Loney). Now, this is something complete different, one of Roy’s best songs ever with a very fine twang guitar from Larry lea and hevay tom-tom drums, tambourine and castanets!. A bit like Ghost Riders In The Sky but more heavy.

5)  Slip Slide & Stomp (Roy A. Loney). A fine rocker again from Roy and the band. Larry Lea shines again in this studio recording.

6)  Doctor Boogie (Roy A. Loney) is a lame meaningless live in the studio version of the Teenage Head number.

Side B
1) Panic To a Manic Degree (Roy A. Loney). A fine rocker again. This must be a leftover from the previous album.

2)  Oh Pretty Woman (Roy Orbinson - Bill Dees). This must also be a leftover from the previous album. I don’t think Pretty Woman need synthesizers.

3)  Double Dare (Roy A. Loney) is a dirty rocker with a Bo Diddley beat and a nice harmonica. A real studio cut I beleive.

4)  Lovin' Machine (Mann/Merritt/Lambert) is a cover. I like this one. It has some very nice guitar, saxophone and piano.

5) Lana Lee (Roy A. Loney). This song is Roy at his best again. A very good rock’n roll song in 50’s style with a wild piano solo and nice saxophones.

6) Don't Start Cryin' Now (James Moore / Jerry West) is one of the live recordings again with the snare drum. This song really rocks and the piano solo is amazing!

7) Goodnight Alcatraz (Larry Lea - Roy A. Loney) is a perfect ending on this uneven album. It’s an instrumental with Roy just saying a few words at the beginning. Nice guitars from Larry Lea and John Kaldor.

I’m sorry, but I don't think this is better than the previous album. It has some very good songs (Magdalena and Lana Lee are among my favourite Loney songs). But the record also have some unnecessary re-recordings of Groovies songs and this synthesizer version of Oh Pretty Woman.

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Comments from Marty Arbunich (former co-owner of Solid Smoke Records):

Panic: Yes, left over from "Contents" album. As I recall, everyone thought that, in spite of it being a good song and popular in live sets, it was too 'rockabilly raw' to fit in the direction of "Contents."

Oh Pretty Woman: Yes, I believe this was from "Contents" sessions too -- and an attempt to reprise "Return to Sender."

Roy Loney, Fast & Loose, Solid Smoke / Double Dare records, 1983

Also released with same tracks on Lolita Records France (5017), 1983

Roy Loney Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitars all tracks
Larry Lee Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Danny Mihm: Drums & Percussion
John Hjort: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jim Markell Piano.
Rick Mastrude: Pedal Steel
Jerry McKinney: Saxophones
James "Chippy" Campbell: Backing Vocals

Driving Wheel & Tulande:
Larry Lea: Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Michael Weinstein: Bass Guitar
Todd Swenson: Rhythm Guitar. Backing Vocals
Sandy Jack Drums
Mark Dunwoody: Piano

Renegade
Larry Lee: Lead Guitar
Maurice Tani: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
John Kaldor: Rhythm Guitar
Johnny Surell: Drums
Nick Buck: Piano
Produced by Roy Loney & John Rewind

Teenage Head
Larry Lea: Lead & Rythm Guitar
James Ferrell: Lead & Rythm Guitar
Michael Weinstein: Bass Guitar
Kenny Johnson: Drums & Percussion

Produced by Roy Loney with a gentlemanly assist from Peter 'Buzz' Miller
Recorded and mixed at Peter Miller Recording San Francisco (except Renegade & Teenage Head recorded at John Altmann Recording, San Francisco)
Engineers Peter Miller, John Altmann
Album Supervision: Marty Arbunich
Cover Design: Ellie Byrom
Phonography: Ellie Byrom & Doug Baird

All songs published 1983 Loney Tunes Music / Solid Smoke Songs (ASCAP) except *

Special thanks and very hip-hoorays to all of the Phantom Movers. Regina Saisa, Greg Oggario, John Catania. Dec Mulligan, Rafael Martinez, Jeff Richardson, Ginnie Syn. Tom Burke Edwards & Ersel Hickey

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This is Roy back on track again. This is a pure dirty rock album and not a trace of 80’s sound. It was to be the last record for Solid Smoke, well it’s called Double Dare Records this time, and the last studio record for a couple of years. This was also the last record not to be released on the, then, new invention, the Compact Disc.

Side A
1) You Can't Be Too Wild (Roy A. Loney). This is classic Roy Loney again with a guitar driven rocker.

2) Slippin' Out The Back Door (Roy A. Loney – Larry Lea). One of my favorites on the album. A laid back rocker with great melody, cool piano, interesting key changes and a fine double tracked guitar solo.

 3) Fast & Loose (Roy A. Loney). In the title track Roy moves to Mexico (sound wise) in this great tex-mex with great acoustic guitar playing.

4) Hey Waitress! (Roy A. Loney). This is Roy’s most serious attempt to make a country and western. A fine song with a steel guitar solo.

5) Driving Wheel (Burnett - Swan). This song is one of my favourite rock’n’roll songs, and this is the best version I’ve heard. It’s written by T. Bone Burnette and Billy Swan. The beat in this song is rock steady with fine drumming from Sandy Jack.

6) The Mop Flops (Roy A. Loney). This is a ”standard” Roy rocker. And that means it’s good with great piano and Chuck Berry type of guitars.

Side B
1) Ragged But Wrong (Roy A. Loney). The rhythm and the backgound in this song is a bit like ”Can I Get A Witness”. A fine stomping song.

 2) Rockin' Radio (Roy A. Loney). This is almost Rockabilly with a fine piano and guitar solos.

3) Renegade (Roy A. Loney). This is a fine rocker again and a left-over from the "Contents Under Pressure" sessions.

4) Teenage Head (Loney - Jordan). I don’t know why Roy wanted to do this new version. I mean,  The Groovies did the definitive version. This one is not bad at all, it’s very close to the original despite the fact that Roy sings it one octave higher which takes a while to get used to, but I think that’s the way he sings it live.

5) Hangin' Around (Ersel Hickey).This is a great acoustic rockabilly, a kind of Buddy Holly with much rawer vocal.

6) Beware Of The Ghoul (Roy A. Loney). A real fine rocker again with saxophones in the background and a fine saxophone solo.

7) Tulane (Chuck Berry). A fine but unnecessary cover. I mean, every rock band has done Chuck Berry covers and have they improved on the originals? No.

This album is surprisingly good. It’s very up-tempo, not a single slow song or ballad. The production is good, the musicians plays very well and the songs are overall good. This is his best album since ”Phantom Tracks”!

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Comments from Marty Arbunich (former owner of Solid Smoke Records):

Teenage Head: Re-recording this Groovies classic was my idea. It was a big Phantom Movers' concert favorite, and our attempt to link Roy to some of the limelight that the Groovies had been basking in at the time (and I guess still do). I was also hoping to get some LP airplay by including it. I always thought Roy was the heart and soul of the original Groovies, and "Out After Dark" the logical extension (and a step up, as you suggest) of the "Teenage head" album, but most of the world then did not make the link between the two albums, or between Roy and the original Groovies for that matter. Re-recording "Teenage Head" did not complete that bridge in execution, I'm sorry to say, but in retrospect was still a decent rendition of the song, mixed by yours truly. I believe "Teenage Head" was originally recorded at the Dance Party sessions, "Renegade" at "Contents" session.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Scientific Bombs Away, AIM 1025 1988 / Norton 209, 1989

Roy Loney : lead vocals, rhythm guitar/
Larry Lea: lead & rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Danny Mihm: drums & percussion
Peter "Buzz" Miller : bass, lead guitar
Butch Berman : piano

Cyril Jordan : backing vocals on 3,11,12 /
James Ferrell : slide guitar on 1,4
Mike Wilhelm : lead guitar on 5,6
Rick Estrin : harmonica on 1,5
Stu Blank : piano on 2,11,12.

Thanks to: Ginnie Syn, Marie Hano, Tom Edwards, Peter Noble, Geraint Watkins, J.P. Richardson, Slim Gaillard, Nervous Norvos, Charlie Feathers, Peter “Buzz” Miller, CIDJ, “Steak”Steckler, Bert and Bob, Roberta Bayley.

Detdicated to the memory of “big” Jon Catania

Produced by Roy Loney for Rockin’ Roy Productions
Engineer: Peter Miller

This was the first album by Roy to be released on CD (it was also released on vinyl). The problem is that it was released on two different labels (AIM and Norton) and the they have a slightly different track sequencing and one or two songs were unique on each release. The album is full of fine songs but the sound is strange. The drums sounds like they had tried to create a ”big” drum sound but failed. The bass has no punch (probably connected directly to the line in on the mixing desk) and most tracks are drenched in reverb and echo. I think a remixed and re-mastered version of this record would make this record to be one of Roy’s very best.

1) Chicken Run Around (Roy A. Loney) This Bo Diddley style rocker sets the pace for the album.

2) Bip Bop Boom (Hawks). A dynamite version of an obscure rockabilly classic.

3) Ruin Your Shoes (Roy A. Loney). This song about ”The Pricess of  ice” has everything and is one of my personal favourites.  A mid-tempo song with a great melody.

4) Deviled Eyes (Roy A. Loney). With another mix this track could sound like a track on ”Out After Dark”. It’s a good raw rocker with Danny playing mostly on the toms, with piano, maraccas and a strange bass backing vocal that is a way too loud compared to the rest.

5) Nervous Slim (Roy A. Loney). A very funny (and corny!) type of 30's jazz style!

6) Boy, Man! (Roy A. Loney). ”The kid can rock” Roy sings in this song about an old rock’  roller, and sure he can!

7) Bad News Travels Fast (Roy A. Loney). A great Rockabilly song again with a strange sound. What is wrong with the drums?

8) Your Best Friend's Number (Roy A. Loney). A great mid tempo rocker again with a great melody. This song sounds better than most on the album and the twangy guitar at the end is great!

9) Here Comes Curly (Roy A. Loney). This is a very funny song in a style quite similar to Papa-Om-Mow-Mow

10) Cry Like The Wind (Roy A. Loney). A very good and melodic song with lots of reverb and twangy guitars. One of my personal favourites again.

11) Nobody (Wayne Carson Thompson). A great rocker recorded by Bruce Channel in 1968.

12) Feel So Fine (Leonard Lee). A great Shirley & Lee song with a fine groove, a bit like Nina Simone!

The album was released a couple of months later by Norton, Norton 209. It has two extra tracks not on the AIM release, but on the other hand they have omitted "Nervous Slim".

1. Chicken Run Around
2. Bip Bop Boom
3. Ruin Your Shoes
4. Bad News Travels Fast
5. Deviled Eyes
6. Boy,Man!
7. Your Best Friends Number
8. Here Comes Curly

9. Send in the Girls (Roy A. Loney). A very funny rocker with naughty lyrics where Roy sings with some kind of Cockney accent!

10. Cry Like the Wind

11. Steppin' Around (Loney - Lea). This song has a style similar to Buddy Holly or "Sheila" by Tommy Roe. A very good song again!

12. Nobody
13. Feel So Fine

Summary
Well if the sound had been better… The songs on this album are very good. The sound is strange. Maybe the fault is they tried it to sound 60’s with 80’s equipment.

Roy Loney & The Longshots, Full Grown Head, Shake records CD:SALD 210, LP:Shake records SAL 210, July 1994

Produced by Conrad Uno , Roy Loney, Scott McCaughey & Jim Sangster.
Engineered by: Conrad Uno
Recorded at: Egg studios, Seattle, Washington, January 1993
Art and Design by Pete Ciccone I/C
Photos by Erik Stuhaug
Cover Photo: Colleen Macklin

Roy Loney & The Longshots :
Roy Loney : lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Tad Hutchison : drums, percussion
Joey Kline : rhythm guitar
Scott McCaughey : bass guitar, vocals, organ, percussion
Jim Sangster : lead & rhythm guitars.
Harmony vocal on Neo Mondo and Tobacco Road: Rob Morgan

Big Thanks and Yahoos for:
Conrad Uno, The Young Fresh Fellows, The Squirrels, Captain Morgan, The Kinks, Ron Sanchez, Jud Cost, The A-Bones, Marie Hano, Teengenerate, Supersnazz, Patty “Ramona” Brady, Iain Walker, Renée Papillon, The Picketts, The Rat Bastards, Wade & Jeff, J and TJ., The Fablous Water Mice and Puffy’s Magic Army Members everywhere.

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Roy met some guys from Seattle bands who said they wanted to play with him. Soon Roy was playing in Seattle with guys from The Young Fresh Fellows and The Squirrels, calling themselves Roy Loney & The Northwest Movers. Later they changed the name to Roy Loney & The Longshots.

1) Long Shot Theme (Sangster) The album starts out at great speed with an instrumental with lots of guitars close in sound. It sounds like a punk version of Dick Dale!

2) See Jane Goes (Loney – McCaughey) I remember how shocked I was when I heard this song for the first time. The tempo now increased further and the sound is quite wild with lots of energy!

3) Gentlemen Junkie (Loney) Now we calm down with a nice melodic Loney track. The sound is still very present with lots of guitars close in sound and a lot of feedback.

4) Get Off The Phone (Loney) A neat Loney-rocker with organ and a captivating melody.

5) Been Around Too Long (Loney) This is classic Loney! Nice melody with a captivating strutting pace and hypnotic rhythm. One of the disc's highlights!

6) Fool Proof  (Loney) This is the coolest song so far, with its staggered pace and sparse accompaniment. This is not far from Loney's early works with influences from the Lovin 'Spoonful. Fantastic!

7) I'll Come Running (Berns – Stuart) A fine cover of a fine R&B-pop song that was a hit for Lulu in 1964.

8) Teeny Weeny Man (a.k.a. Teenie Weenie Man) (Danny Wheeler). This is just crazy pure fun. A crazy obscure old rockabilly song played in a wild tempo that increases until all collapses at the end!

9) Full Grown Head (Loney). A nice song in Buddy Holly-style with lyrics that relates to Teenage Head. Now Roy is a Full Grown Head! “Once upon a time a was a teenage head / And I had me a teenage style / Now I dig Sinatra and a weekend off / But I still manage half a smile”.

10) Just My Kind (McCaughey). Written by Scott McCaughey of The Young Fresh Fellows, Just My Kind is a great rocker with nice harmony vocal and slide guitar.
Neo Mondo (Loney). A great up-tempo rocker again with great rhyming lyrics.

11) Tobacco Road (Loudemilk). This is the only track on this album I can’t understand. It’s a good song and it’s well performed, but the song have beem covered by too many bands…

12) Slow Death (Loney – Jordan). This is the first studio recording with Roy on vocals. This is quite close to the original Flamin’ Groovies recording.

This disc has a Roy in top form with a new fresh backing band. The disc is very good with nice songs, many played at a furious pace! What pulls down the grade a bit is the unnecessary cover (Tobacco Road) and the little too unpolished (Teeny Weeny Man).

Roy Loney & The Longshots, Drunkard In The Think Tank, Career CDS-1311, June 2004

Produced by The Ear Shots
Engineered by Mark Guenther and Conrad Uno
Recorded at Egg Studios

Roy Loney - vocals, rhythm guitar
Graham Black – drums (1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 13, 15)
Tad Hutchison- drums (3, 5, 6, 7, 9 11, 12, 14, 16)
Joey Kline – rhythm & lead guitar, backing vocals
Kevin Lee – bass (1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 13, 15)
Scott McCaughey- bass (3, 5, 6, 7, 9 11, 12, 14, 16)
Jim Sangster – Lead and rhythm guitar

---

Roy said in an interview that he recorded 29 songs during the “Full Grown Head” sessions and that the remaining tracks were going to be on a follow-up that he tried very hard to get someone to release. Well, it took ten long years but it was worth the wait! This album is even better and is along with “Out After Dark” the best album so far!

1. House Of Games (Loney) which opens the disc is a heavy guitar-driven rock song that sets the tone.

2. One Track Mind (Loney). This guitar-driven rocker increases the tempo even more and has a pretty punky nature

3. You Don’t Owe Me /Fogerty). A great lost John Fogerty classic from an obscure “Blue Ridge Rangers” single. A great cover.

4. He Talks To Himself (Loney). This is the first sign that we have a more varied album than its predecessor. This beautiful song is backed with acoustic guitars and piano with a very nice electric guitar.

5. Nobody Does It (Loney-McCaughey). They do “it” everywhere but “Nobody does it for love anymore” sings Roy in this very funny rocker with some psychedelic passages with backward guitar!

6. Doggone Fine (Loney). This song with its fast punky pace is perhaps the most similar to its predecessor. Wild!

7. Grapey Wine (McCaughey). A great 60’s style rocker from Scott McCaughey.

8. Steam (Loney). This sounds like a combination of Rolling Stones and Talking Heads! Another great rocker.

9. Five Times A Fool (Loney). Roy can write great ballads and this is maybe his best ever! It’s cool instrumental backing, funny lyrics and a great melody makes this to one of my all time favourite Roy Loney songs!

10. Jennifer Whenever (Loney). This up-tempo acoustic guitar driven rocker is just awesome. It’s another all time favourite!

11. She’s The One (Dubas) is a wild and funny cover of an old Chartbusters tune written by their bass player John Dubas.

12. Such A Nice Boy (Loney). This one has the "Teenage Head" riff recycled in a slower and heavier tempo. Great!

13. Hang With Me (Loney). A great Loney rocker with a great rhythm guitar and organ.

14. Move It Baby (H. Pattison) is a great cover of a song written by Hubert Pattison which was recorded by Simon Scott & The Lee Roys in 1964. It sounds very much like a wilder version of early The Beatles!

15. Unoriginal Sin (Loney). Back to a ballad again and a great song in a style not very unlike “Love Is A Spider”

16. Let Me Go (Loney). This rocker has a sound not very unlike the songs on “Out After Dark” A very melodic and fine rocker.

This disc is more varied than its predecessor and feels more elaborate. It contains no weak tracks and can easily be considered as one of Roy's best records!

Roy Loney & The Longshots, Shake It Or Leave It, Career CDS-1382, September 2007

Jim Sangster - bass, guitars
Johnny Sangster - bass, guitar
Tad Hutchison- drums
Scott McCaughey- bass
Joey Kline - vocals, guitar
Graham Black - drums
Deniz Tek - guitar
Bobby Sutliff- guitar
Mark Pickerel - percussion
Ron Sanchez - guitar, tambourine, keyboards
Scott "Ringer" Sutherland - vocals
Micah Hulscher -Keyboards
Richard Mockler - organ
Barrie Russac- piano
Anna Kendall - oboe

Produced by Ron Sanchez and Jim Sangster
with Deniz Tek and Roy Loney
Recorded at Egg Studio by Conrad Uno
Audio Bardahl, Seattle by Johnny Sangster
Private Radio, Seattle by Pat Gray
Low Beat, Seattle by Jim Sangster
Skrang, Powell by Bobby Sutliff

Additional recordings and mix: God’s Little Ear Acre, Bozeman by Ronald Sanchez.

---

In 2007, Roy returned with one of his most solid and well produced discs since "Supersnazz"! It’s also the first album since Sneakers where Roy have written or co-written all tracks.

1. Baby Du Jour (Roy A. Loney – Larry Lea). This song with a riff like "People People" from "Out After Dark" opens this disc with a strong rhythm, which is reinforced with piano and percussion.

2. Big Time Love (Roy A. Loney). Another rocker in the best "Out After Dark" style!

3. The Great Divide (Roy A. Loney). A stunning fun and good ballad with nice organ.

4. Big Fat Nada (Roy A. Loney). In this song Roy goes Country & Western and he does it in a great style with great backing backing vocals.

5. Raw Deal (Roy A. Loney). This is one of the very best rockabilly songs Roy has ever done!

6. Danger Waves (Roy A. Loney – Larry Lea). This is a great collaboration with the Phantom Movers guitarist Larry Lea and a great 60’s style rocker.

7. Don’t Like Nothin’ (Roy A. Loney). The psychedelic fuzz guitar on this track is very 60’s and the riff is a bit lika “Headin’ For The Teaxas Border” Great!

8. Subterranean Waterfalls (Roy A. Loney).This is one more song with even more psychedelic influences with its slow hypnotic “Albatross” rhythm. A very fine tune again!

9. Hamlet’s Brother, Happy (Roy A. Loney). This is a very funny acoustic based song about Hamlet’s brother in Denmark. It has an oboe solo and could have been a track on Supersnazz!

10. Miss Val Dupree (Roy A. Loney). A great rocker with a nice 60’s organ.

11. Looking For The Body (Roy A. Loney). The tempo increases even more with this nice and very funny rocker.

12. Hey Now (Roy A. Loney). This fine rocker with a fine piano backing ends a great album.

This record is a masterpiece (again). It varies in style (which I think is good) and is very well produced.

Roy Loney & Señor No, Got Me A Hot One, Bloody Hotsak – BH 04, May 2009

Roy Loney: lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Mikel Yarza: guitar
Xabi Garre: guitar, harmonica, backing vocals
Fumai: bass, backing vocals
Guantxe: drums, backing vocals

Jesus Aranburu: Piano
Paxti Spazo: Backing Vocals

---

Roy is back in Spain again with a full length CD this time, and a good one!

1. Got Me A Hot One! (Loney). A rockabilly song with a modern sound.

2. Gettin' Gone (Loney). A fast and loud rocker with loud guitars and a great riff.

3. Diablo (Loney). The song starts with Roy singing to an acoustic guitar with a great riff & rhythm. Then the band joins and it’s one of my all time favourites!

4. Sweet Hell (Loney). A great garage rocker with a 60's sounding organ.

5. Cara-Lin (Bob Feldman, Gerald Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer). A great cover of the old Strangeloves song.

6. Act Nice and Gentle (Ray Davies) is a great, rare old Kinks number which I think was the B-side to Waterloo Sunset.

7. Everything Goes (Loney) is a great new Loney song again

8. Love Is A Spider (Loney) I'm glad Roy did this great version of one of my favourites. The song really deserved this new better sounding version.

9. (Don't You Think) My Heart Has Had Enough (Loney). A "Stonsey" good rocking  number

10. Dance With Me (Jimmy Alaimo, Paul Curcio) is a great garage rocker first recorded by The Mojos.

11. Least Magnificent Moment (Loney). This is also a well deserved re-recording of an old "Artistic as hell" number.

12. Headin' For The Texas Border (Loney, Jordan), A very well performed version of the old FG classic. I think one of the reason he re-recorded it is that someone else sings on the FG version (Tim Lynch?)??

This is a very good album again. It have some old songs re-recorded which in this case is OK as they are even better than the original versions! It is a loud guitar driven well recorded album and almost as good as the two previous Longshots albums. Rock’n Roy still Rocks. Maybe this is the album I can recommend to start with for anyone who haven't heard Roy Loney!

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Action Shots, Marilyn records USMCD1024, November 1994

Copyright 1989/1993 Roy A. Loney
Produced by Roy A. Loney
Engineer: Sabo
Remastered by Robert Bob Geller
Recorded Live on stage in Berkeley, CA.,
San Francisco, CA., and Bethesda, Maryland.
Thanks to all the Phantom Movers
Artwork : Sunja Park

Production coordinator : Patrick Boissel

ROY LONEY: lead singer, rhythm guitar on all tracks

On Tracks 1,2,3,9,10,12
LARRY LEA : lead guitar, back-up vocals
MAURICE TANI: bass guitar, back-up vocals
JOHN KALDOR : lead and rhythm guitar
JOHNNY SURRELL: drums

On Tracks 4,5,6,7,8,13,14
LARRY LEA : lead guitar, back-up vocals
MICHAEL WEINSTEIN : bass guitar
TODD SWENSON: lead and rhythm guitar, back-up vocals
SANDY JACK : drums

On Track 11
LARRY LEA : lead guitar, back-up vocals
JAMES FERRELL: lead and rhythm guitar
GREG CARMICHAEL : bass guitar
DANNY MIHM : drums

Roy Loney in 1993: "When I split from the Flamin Groovies in 1971, (shortly after the release of the Teenage Head L.P) I had no intentions of ever fronting a band again. Was fed up and used up. I hated all of the record biz/band biz crap-ola.
So for six years I pursued my other options (acting, sales and marriage).
I was reasonably happy, but I never stopped writing songs. Who was I writing them for?

Then in 1977, I was talked into recording a four song E.P. for a friend's label (K.O.). The backing band was made up of Groovies and others buddies. It felt good and was pretty well received.

On the strength of the E.P. (Artistic as Hell) was offered an album deal by the newly formed Solid Smoke label. This meant I had to put my own group together. Was I ready to jump back into the rock band jungle? I guess I was. The Phantom Movers were born.

Since the release of our first LP (Out After Dark) in 1979, The Movers have gone through several personnel changes, musical and personal ups and downs, and all of the other baggage that goes along with trying to keep a band alive. Well, its 1993 and here is the band, very alive and rockin'.

The tracks on this recording were done between 1981 and 1990. The lineup changes. The locale changes. One thing stays the same. The Phantom Movers play primitive rock with taste. They always have and I hope they always will. That's the plan, anyway.
Keep the faith,
Roy A. Loney".

---

1 SORRY (Wright/Young)           
2 PEOPLE PEOPLE (Loney)         
3 PANIC TO A MANIC DEGREE (Loney)
4 DOUBLE DARE (Loney)          
5 DOCTOR BOOGIE (Loney/Jordan)
6 DON'T START CRYIN' NOW (Moore/West)
7 DRIVING WHEEL (Swan/Burnett)                       
8 COMIN AFTER ME (Loney/Jordan)
9 DOWN THE ROAD APIECE (Raye)
10 PHANTOM MOVER (Loney)
11 TEENAGE HEAD (Loney/Jordan)                     
12 A HUNDRED MILE AN HOUR (Loney)                                        
13 SOMETNIN' ELSE (Cochran/Sheeley)
14 GONE GONE GONE (Perkins)

Great performances by the band with a sound quality that varies from barely acceptable to bad! A record for the fans only.

Roy Loney & The Longshots, Kick Out The Hammmmons, Imposible Records IMP 037, 1995

Recorded live at "El Sol" November 1994
Recorded by Tores Crespo & Miguel Angel Lobato
Mixed at Sonex Studios by Tores Crespo
Produced by The Record Runner crew
Artwork by Cristina Garcia.
Thanks to everyone at the Garage Club, The Sala Aqua,The Piedra Blarney, The Zeppelin Club, The El Sol and all of our fans Everywhere!

Roy Loney: lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Jim Sangster: lead & rtythm guitars
Joey Kline: rythm guitar, vocals (lead vocal on 7)
Kevin Lee: bass
Graham Black: drums

Roy took a modified Longshots to Spain to record a live album. The energy level is high all through the album and the sound quality is good, much better than Action Shots.

 

1) Panic To A Manic Degree (Roy A.Loney)

2) San Francisco Girls (Roy A.Loney)

3) Comin' After Me (Loney / Jordan)

4) See Jane Goes (Loney / McCaughey)

5) Get Off The Phone (Roy A.Loney)

6) Ruin Your Shoes (Roy A.Loney)

7) Chasing My Own Tail (Joey Kline)

8) Long Shots Theme (Evacuation it says on the cover) (Sangster)

9) I'll Come Running (Berns / Stuart)

10) Been Around Too Long (Roy A.Loney)

11) Neat Petite (Roy A.Loney)

12) Phantom Mover (Roy A.Loney)

13) Stop It Baby (Kerim Capli)

14) Road House (Loney / Jordan)

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, A Hundred Miles An Hour 1978-1989, 2009

Teenage Head, which was Roy Loney's last album with The Flamin 'Groovies is usually quite fair getting the highest scores from reviewers and is considered to be in class with the Rolling Stones best discs. Roy Loney's first solo album "Out After Dark" is actually even better, and this collection has ten of the twelve tracks from that album.

"A Hundred Miles an Hour 1978-1989" opens with three tracks from the EP "Artisic as hell" in which Roy is backed by the original the Flamin 'Groovies. The songs are very good but the production is thin. "Love Is A Spider" is one of many Loney songs that should be a well-known classic, but for some reason (such as small and obscure record labels) his records didn't reach more listeners than the hardcore fans.

Track 4-13 are taken from the wonderful LP "Out After Dark" which is the perfect rock album with a wonderfully handsome production in which the band is often reinforced with piano, acoustic guitars and rhythm instruments such as maracas and tambourine. The songs are super and the musicians are great. Both Danny Mihm (drums) and James Ferrel (guitar) had previously been with the Flamin 'Groovies. The other musicians are Larry Lea on guitar and Maurice Tani on bass. The only thing you can complain about is that two good songs ( "Rockin 'In The Graveyard" and "Trophy") are left out. This disc is even better than Teenage Head, a disc in the best Stones-class!

Track 14-16 are from 12 "45 rpm"Phantom Tracks"which is partly recorded live in the studio and therefore has a rawer and a bit more primitive sound. The follow-up "Contents Under Pressure" was an attempt to reach a larger audience with a bit nicer output. Many believe that it is Roy's bottom low, which is unfair as it contains many great songs. Unfortunately none of the songs from that album is on this collection.
17-20 are taken from "Rock and Roll Dance Party" which was "back to basic" with a rather thin production, but often good songs more in a rockabilly style. For example the fabulous Lana Lee sounds like a rock hit from the late 50's with saxophones and piano, which sounds a bit out of tune (not the saxophonist's fault) which rather raises the overall impression! Unfortunately they omitted my favorite: Magdalena.

21-24 are from "Fast and Loose" which is almost as good as "Out After Dark". Here we find a nice cover of Billy Swan's and T-Bone Burnett's "Driving Wheel" and Roy's beautiful "Slippin 'Out The Back Door."

The disc ends with songs from the "Scientific Bombs Away" which is a disc that could be one of Roy's best if the production was better. "Ruin Your Shoes" is Roy in great shape.

In conclusion, there is little to criticise. At last you can listen to these great songs on the CD. One can hope that all the original albums will be re-issued in due course. A small note on the volume that varies a bit from one song to another which is a bit annoying.

1. A Hundred Miles an Hour
2. Love Is a Spider
3. Least Magnificent Moment (Of My Life)
4. Used Hoodoo
5. Born to Be Your Fool
6. Neat Petite
7. Return to Sender
8. I Love It
9. Scum City
10. She Run Away
11. Phantom Mover
12. People People
13. San Francisco Girls
14. Don't Believe Those Lies [Live]
15. Act of Love
16. Down the Road Apiece
17. Slip, Slide and Stomp
18. Panic to a Manic Degree
19. Double Dare
20. Lana Lee
21. You Can't Be Too Wild
22. Driving Wheel
23. Ragged But Wrong
24. Slippin' Out the Back Door
25. Renegade
26. Chicken Run Around
27. Ruin Your Shoes
28. Nervous Slim

---

Comments from Marty Arbunich (former co-owner of Solid Smoke Records):

The tracks on this album were selected by Raven, who had their own definite ideas re. track selection for the album. I proposed that the album be comprised exclusively from the Solid Smoke masters (to me, the "Artistic as Hell" stuff always seemed primitive and unrepresentative of Roy-the-Rocker.)

These are the tracks and sequence I proposed:

1. DON'T BELIEVE THOSE LIES

2. BORN TO  BE YOUR FOOL

3. PHANTOM MOVER

4. NEAT PETITE

5. DRIVING WHEEL

6. USED HOODOO

7. DOUBLE DARE

8. TEENAGE HEAD

9. HANGIN' AROUND

10. EMMY EMMY

11. ACT OF LOVE

12. HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR

13. TOO FUNKY TO LIVE

14. SLIPPIN' OUT THE BACK DOOR

15. YOU CAN'T BE TOO WILD

16. RENEGADE

17. SORRY

18. PEOPLE PEOPLE

19. SAN FRANCISCO GIRLS

20. RETURN TO SENDER

21. SLIP SLIDE AND STOMP

22. HANKY PANKY

23. MAGDALENA

24. PANIC TO A MANIC DEGREE

25. WITH A GIRL LIKE YOU

26. LANA LEE

Rising Stars of San Francisco, War Bride 9005, 1981

A1 Holly Stanton - Temptation   
A2 Kingsnakes - She's Not Nice 
A3 Barry Beam - WACS in Slacks   
A4 Roy Loney and the Phantom Movers - Different Kind   
A5 New Romans - She Doesn't Play With Yo-Yos   
A6 The Impostors - Sounds on the Street   
B1 Readymades - Runnin' Too Fast   
B2 Holly Stanton - Black Is Black   
B3 Eye Protection - Take Her Where the Boys Are   
B4 Fun Addicts - You Don't Care   
B5 Timmy Spence - Brand New Dance   
B6 Pushups - Play On

Also of note is the inclusion of an excellent tune, "She's Not Nice," by the Kingsnakes (the short-lived group Danny Mihm and James Ferrell formed after leaving the Phantom Movers).

American Neo-Rockabillies, Rockhouse Holland LPL 8204, 1982

1. ROY LONEY / DON'T START CRYING NOW
2. ROY LONEY / LANA LEE
3. LEVI & THE ROCKATS / ROOM TO ROCK
4. LEVI & THEROCKATS / ALL THRU THE NIGHT
5. NIKKI & THE CORVETTES / HONEY BOB
6. NIKKI & THE CORVETTES / SHAKE IT UP
7. THE CUSTOMS / LET'S GET IT ON
8. THE CUSTOMS / BRING MY CADILLAC BACK

SIDE-2
1. ZANTEES / PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING
2. ZANTEES / BIG GREEN CAR
3. BUZZ & THE FLYERS / MY BABY CAN'T BE SATISFIED
4. BUZZ & THE FLYERS / EVERYBODY'S MOVIN'
5. DAVEY WAYNE & THE SMOOTHIES / SHARP SHOES
6. DAVEY WAYNE & THE SMOOYHIES / DRIVIN' LOVE
7. LEVI & THE ROCKATS / ROCKABILLY IDOL
8. LEVI & THE ROCKATS / NOTE FROM THE SOUTH

Hit The Hay Volume 8, Sound Asleep, 2011

Sound Asleep Records, a record label from Vara in Sweden, put together compilations of "great American music that was being heard by too few". They call them Hit The Hay, and Hit The Hay Volume 8 features a previously unreleased Roy Loney track. How Would I Know was on the sort list for Shake It Or Leave It. In the end it was left off the album, much to the disappointment of all involved. When producer, Jerker Emmanualson, learned we could give him an exclusive track, he put Volume 8 together.

01. Roy Loney & the Longshots - How Would I Know
02. Justin & the Comics - Right Bell
03. Hans Rotenberry/Brad Jones - Buffalo Daughter
04. Travis Hopper - Should´ve Been In Love
05. Dan Montgomery - Out On A Tear
06. Young Fresh Fellows - Hillbilly Drummer Girl
07. The New Normal - It´s Our Time
08. Lanny Flowers - Not In Love
09. Victor Penalosa & The Melanies - Picture On A Shelf
10. Javier Escovedo- Our Last Goodbye
11. The Swedish Polarbears - Norman Blake
12. Nice Man - Watching The Band
13. Homer Henderson - Steel Guitars
14. Norman Phipps - Queen City Bound
15. Paul Burch & Fats Kaplin - Still I´m Travellin' On
16. John Paul Keith & The One Four Five - I Still Miss Someone
17. Mike Nicolai - Slow Ache
18. The Frosted Sugar Bombs - There For The Taking
19. Jay Sherman-Godfrey - For The Warm Up
20. Edvard O´Connell - Cold Dark World
21. Colin Gilmore - Laughing Hard Or Crying
22. Neil Nathan - California Run
23. The Janglemen - Can´t Make Up My Mind (About You)
24. Mike Fredrickson - Like A Wheel
25. Pete Sinjin - All The Record Stores

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Phantom Mover fan club cassette, 1989

This cassette was sent to members of the Phantom Mover fan club. Most of the tracks (but not all) was later issued on Action Shots. The cassette I have a copy of has better sound quality than the CD!

1) Sorry (Wright - Young)

2) Double Dare (Loney)

3) Doctor Boogie (Loney - Jordan)

4) Somethin' Else (Cochran - Sheeley)

5) Comin' After Me (not the whole song) (Loney - Jordan)

6) Drivin' Wheel (Swan - Burnette) NOT same version as on Action Shots

7) She's No Lady (Loney) NOT on Action Shots

8) Act Of Love (Loney - Fox) NOT on Action Shots

9) Down The Road Apiece (Raye)

10) Phantom Mover (Loney)

 

Great performances by the band with a sound quality that isn't too bad! I think it's very intresting to hear "She's No Lady" without the keyboards. Great song!

Vanda & Young - Their Music Goes 'Round Our Heads, AUS Sony 471653 2, 1992

A tribute to Harry Vanda and George Young of The Easybeats and Flash &The Pan. They were also producers of AC/DC's early albums (George Young is the older brother of Angus and Malcom).

The Easybeats - She's So Fine
Bobby and Laurie - You Got It Off Me
Danny Diaz and The Checkmates - It's So Easy
Johnny Young and Kompany - Step Back
Los Bravos - Bring a Little Lovin'
Gary Walker and Rain - Come in, You'll Get Pneumonia
Marmalade - Station on Third Avenue
The Easybeats - Falling off the Edge of the World
The Town Criers - Love, Love, Love
The Valentines - My Old Man's a Groovy Old Man
Flake - Life Is Getting Better
Johnny O'Keefe - Rock'n'Roll Boogie
Mike Furber - I'm on Fire/Watch Me Burn
Allison MacCallum - Superman
Bobbi Marchini - Working My Way Back to You
Erl Dalby and Pyramid - Can't Wait for September
Ted Mulry - Ain't It Nice
Jackie Christian and Target - Love
John Paul Young - Pasadena
John Miles - The World Belongs to Yesterday
Mark Williams - Yesterday Was Just the Beginning
Ray Burgess - Love Fever
William Shakespeare - Can't Stop Myself From Loving You
John Farnham - Things To Do
Rod Stewart - Hard Road
Marcus Hook Roll Band - Natural Man
Stevie Wright - Guitar Band
John Paul Young - Love Is In The Air Love Is In The Air
Bay City Rollers - Yesterday's Hero
Suzi Quatro - Evie (Part 1)
Stevie Wright - Evie (Part 2)
Swanee - Evie (Part 3)
Flash and The Pan - Hey, St. Peter
Cheek - Do You Have a Soul
Sports - Wedding Ring
Lee Joseph - Going out of My Mind
Roy Loney and The Phantom Movers - Sorry
Savoy Brown - Shot in the Head
Little River Band - St. Louis
Divinyls - I'll Make You Happy
The Saints - The Music Goes 'round Our Heads
Grace Jones - Walking in the Rain
Gary Moore - Friday on My Mind
Mark Williams - Show No Mercy
INXS and Jimmy Barnes - Good Times

Groin Thunder (A Tribute to The Troggs), Dog Meat DOG 026 Australia, 1996

A1 Freeloaders, The - I Want You
A2 Original Sins, The - Say Darlin'
A3 Fluid, The - Our Love Will Still Be There
A4 Sacred Miracle Cave - Summertime
A5 Boys From Nowhere - 6 6-4-5-3-2-1
B1 Devil Dogs, The - Lost Girl
B2 Thee Headcoats - I Want You To Come Into My Life
B3 Muffs, The - You Can Cry If You Want To
B4 Groovie Ghouls - Girl In Black
B5 Mooseheart Faith - Love Is All Around
B6 Miracle Workers - Wild Thing
B7 Philisteins, The - From Home
C1 Dwarves - Strange Movies
C2 Antiseen - I Can't Control Myself
C3 Mummies, The - Your Love
C4 Date Bait - I Just Sing
C5 Kings Of Oblivion - Come Now
C6 Bored! - Feels Like A Woman
D1 Walkingseeds - Night Of The Long Grass
D2 Bevis Frond, The - When Will The Rain Come
D3 Roy Loney & the Phantom Movers - With A Girl Like You
D4 A-Bones, The - You Can't Beat It
D5 Odds, The - Give It To Me
D6 Cheater Slicks - Gonna Make You

Through A Faraway Window: A Tribute to Jimmy Silva, Steady Boy Records SB-0030, March 2010

I haven't heard of the late Jimmy Silva before. After listening to this great Loney recording I want to hear more!

This is the press release:

"The three alluring albums cut by San Francisco bay area native Jimmy Silva 20 years ago, full of irresistible folk-rockers and haunting melodies, have never been forgotten by Silva's fellow musicians and his adoring core of fans. Critic’s darlings the Young Fresh Fellows and the Smithereens recorded some of Silva’s best work. In turn, YFF’s Scott McCaughey contributed songs to Silva’s solo recordings before Silva’s untimely death at 42 in 1994. McCaughey went on to work with REM and to form the Minus 5, but he never forgot his friend’s songs. Neither did SteadyBoy Records owner and Texas power popper, Freddie Steady Krc, and music journalist Jud Cost who gathered Silva’s fans and friends for Through a Faraway Window: A Tribute to Jimmy Silva. The collection includes Freddie Steady, Scott McCaughey, the Beau Brummels' Sal Valentino, the Posies’ Jon Auer, and other Silva admirers. Look through this faraway window, and you’ll hear the inspirational songs Jimmy left behind. --Rush Evans, SteadyBoy Records."

The song by Roy Loney (& The Longshots I think) is Big House. It's a wild and melodic rocker in a style that fits Roy perfect.

1. Intro/Carnival Barker
2. Waking Up - Dennis Diken
3. All The Places - Sal Valentino
4. I've Got Time - The Flywheels
5. People Standing In A Line - The Minus 5
6. Need I Know - John Wesley Harding
7. Spontaneous Entertainment
8. Big House - Roy Loney
9. Man Of The Cloth - Christy McWilson
10. Doesn't Matter At All - Chris Eckman
11. I'll Never Go To Sea Again - Bill Rivers Trio
12. For The Love Of Land - Jim Krabetin
13. City Of Sisterly Love - Jon Auer
14. Tin Whistle And A Wooden Drum - Freddie Steady Krc
15. We Want The Empty Set
16. Fair Exchange - The Young Fresh Fellows
17. Train Crossing - The Goats
18. May The Second - The Flywheels
19. Robot Man From The Void Of Space
20. St. Catherine's Statue - The Minus 5
21. Through A Faraway Window - Chris Eckman
22. The Branch - The Jigsaw Seen
23. Kate Of The Human Race - Young Fresh Fellows
24. Tell It To The Raven - Joey Kline
25. For The Masses - Jimmy Silva
26. Christmas Is Holy - John Wesley Harding
27. Grease The Wheel - Sal Valentino
28. A Fine And Private Place - Eddy Irvine
29. Jim Silva Ad

Roy Loney, Artistic As Hell, Artistic As Hell, Albertson-Frost Records K.O. 226, 1977

Danny Mihm: Drums, percussion
George Alexander: Bass
Tim Lynch: Guitar, voclas
Cyril Jordan: Guitar
Michael Houpt: Guitar
Cab Covay:Piano
Engineer: Vance Frost

Deticated to Sissy Spacel and Jackie Morningstar.

Roy Left The Flamin’ Groovies in 1971 after writing a new classic song, Slow Death, with Cyril Jordan. The song was performed by the band at Roy Loney’s last concert before he left the group. The concert was at Fillmore West on 30 June 1971 and was broadcasted by a local radio station and later issued on LP and CD’s. James Ferrell had replaced Tim Lynch on guitar and the band later found Chris Wilson as a replacement for Roy and recorded a studio version of Slow Death in England with him for UA with Dave Edmunds as a producer. Flamin’ Groovies stayed in England and made a couple of singles and three albums in a musical style that was more Merseybeat than The Rolling Stones. The first album, Shake Some Action, is very good but the music is very different from the Loney era of the band.

Roy got tired of the band and the music scene after the release of Teenage Head. The album sold nothing and Roy & Cyril had different views of the future for the band. Roy worked for ABC-Dunhill records in San Francisco for five years when he noticed that the music scene had changed with all new band like The Ramones and The Dead Kennedys. Roy had never stopped writing and was ready to rock again!

In the meantime Danny Mihm had left the Flamin’ Groovies and formed a folk rock band with Tim Lynch called The Hot Knives. They had released a couple of singles on their own label Knock Out Records (one of them is a real classic, I Hear The Wind Blow, was produced by Cyril) and asked if Roy wanted to make a record. Roy said yes and asked his old pals from Groovies to back him which they did! The line-up was Roy Loney (guitar, vocals), Cyril Jordan (guitar), Tim Lynch (guitar), Michael Houpt (from Hot Knives, guitar), George Alexander (bass), Danny Mihm (drums) and Cab Covay (piano). The result is an EP with four songs and a lot of energy!

A1) A Hundred Miles An Hour (Roy A. Loney). As the title of this song indicates we’re in for a fast rock’n’roll song. It starts with acoustic guitars (which are at the front of the mix on all four songs), then the rest of the band joins and Roy is really back in business again with a voice that is influenced by the punk bands.

A2) Love Is A Spider  (Roy A. Loney). This is a classic Roy Loney ballad (maybe a little bit influenced by The Kinks?) and should have been a hit if it was released by a ”major” artist!  Great backing vocals and a guitar solo that sounds as if it was recorded in the room next door.

B1) Least Magnificent Moment (Of My Life) (Roy A. Loney). A very good song again, a kind of mid tempo pop-rock song. A very stylish guitar solo by Tim Lynch I think.

B2) Don't Believe Those Lies (Roy A. Loney) is a rock’n’roll song again

Summary: This EP has four very good songs (Love Is A Spider is one of his very best songs ever), a lot of energy and good musicians. I’m not an ”audio freak” but the recording sounds a bit primitive.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Return To Sender/ Neat Petite, 12" single (33 RPM): Solid Smoke PRO-9001, 1979

I beleive this was a promo only sent to radio stations as a teaser for the "Out After Dark" album.

A) Return To Sender (Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell). For some reason they choose to send this Elvis cover to the radio stations. It's a well known song and the preformance is great.

B) Neat Petite (Roy A. Loney) with its hypnotic chords sounds like a combination of Rolling Stones and Talking Heads. The should have put this on the A-side!

Roy Loney &The Phantom Movers, Hanky Panky / With A Girl Like You, 7" single: Solid Smoke PM-001, 1980 (only for fan club members!)

Roy Loney: Lead Vocals & Rhythm guitars
Danny Mihm: Drums
Larry Lea: Lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
James Ferrell: Rhythm guitars
Maurice Tani: Bass, backing vocals

Piano: Nick Buck
Produced by Stephen Fisher & Roy Loney
Recorded 1979 at John Altmann Recording, San Francisco

The songs were probably recorded during the Out After Dark sessions, maybe as a warm up in the studio.

A) Hanky Panky (Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich) is of course the old hit from Tommy James & The Shoundells, here in a Phantom Movers treatment.

B) With A Girl Like You (Reg Presley). As The Troggs are one of my favourite bands, it’s nice to hear Roy and the boys doing this cover of the old Troggs number played very slow. The song is also on a tribute to The Troggs called Groin Thunder (Dog Meat DOG 026, 1996) and with bad remastering (too much compression) on "Phantom Tracks" Lolita 5016, 1984. A great song and a very good version!

Summary: What a gift for the Phantom Movers fan club members!.

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Comments from Marty Arbunich (former owner of Solid Smoke Records):

These were left over from "Out After Dark." We released this for kicks, and for diehard fans via mail order only. Only 200 copies were produced -- so it's the rarest Loney release in our catalogue. There was also an alternative black/white cover on a handful of copies.

Roy Loney, Lana Lee / Magdalena / Goodnight Alcatraz, 7" single: Rockhouse SP 8211, 1982

This is one is great! They took the three best tracks from Rock'n Roll Dance Party and released is as a single in Holland.

A) Lana Lee (Roy A. Loney). This song is Roy at his best. A very good rock’n roll song in 50’s style with a wild piano solo and nice saxophones.

B1) Magdalena (Roy A. Loney). This is one of Roy’s best songs ever with a very fine twang guitar from Larry lea and hevay tom-tom drums, tambourine and castanets!. A bit like Ghost Riders In The Sky but more heavy.

B2) Goodnight Alcatraz (Larry Lea - Roy A. Loney). It’s an instrumental with Roy just saying a few words at the beginning. Nice guitars from Larry Lea and John Kaldor.

Roy Loney, Beware Of The Ghoul / Down The Road Apiece, 7" single: Lolita 1005, 1990

A) Beware Of The Ghoul (Roy A. Loney). I don't know if I had chosen this song (from Fast & Loose as a single a-side, but it's a fine rocker with saxophones in the background and a fine saxophone solo.

B) Down The Road Apiece (Raye) is a song Rolling Stones among others covered in the 60’s. This version is even rawer and played in a furious tempo with great bass playing from Maurice Tani. It's taken from the album Phantom Tracks.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers, Five Or Six By Five Live, 7" EP: Norton EP-010, 1991

Roy Loney: lead vocals, rythm guitar
Larry Lea: lead guitar, backing vocals
James Ferrel: more lead guitar
Greg Carmichael: bass, backing vocals
Danny Mihm: drums

Recorded live April 7, 1990 at the Twist & Shout Club , Bethesda, Maryland except "The Black Widow" which was recorded at CBGB, New York City the following night. For best result play at extra loud volume.

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The next record was the first official live disc with Phantom Movers who resurfaced, this time with Greg Carmichael on bass. The record’s sound quality is not in world class but they do show what a fantastic band they were.

A1) Rockin' In The Graveyard (Morrell). It starts very very slow but then we get a version very close to th Phantom Track version. Great!

A2) Second Cousin (Loney) is also a version very close to the original version.

A3) The Black Widow (Link Wray). Flamin’ Groovies did Rumble. This is another good Link Wray cover.

B1) Evil Hearted Ada (Loney). It’s very close to the original version again.

B2) Bop-A-Lena (Tillis-Pierce) / Somethin' Else (Sheeley-Cochran). This is a new medley where they changed Pistol Packin’ Mama to Bop-A-Lena. It rocks.

It’s nice to hear the band live, but the sound is only acceptable and the songs are very close to the studio versions anyway.

Roy Loney &The A-Bones, Boy Meets Bones, 7" EP: Norton EP-019, 1993

Bruce Bennett: guitar
Marcus The Carcass: bass
Lars Espensen: tenor sax
Miriam Linna: drums
Billy Miller: backing vocals
Lance Kaufman: piano on Jump Into the River

Produced by Roy & The A-Bones
Recorded May 18, 1992 at Mr. Toad’s, San Francisco

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Roy Loney meets the A-Bones in this high energy rockabilly EP with drummer Miriam Linna who once was responsible for The Flamin groovies fan club!

A1) Stop It Baby (Kerim Capli) is a The Heard cover played in a furious tempo with a great saxophone solo.

A2) You Know What You Can Do (Tony Harris) is a nice rock ballad and the sound is pure 50’s.

B1) Jump Into The River (Sharpe) was once recorded by a band called Buddy Sharpe the Shakers. It’s a funny and fast rocker again.

B2) Smoke Rings (Herring) once recorded by The Gants is a one chord rocker with a nine beat.

Summary: Well it’s hard to give a review of this. It’s 100% energy, 100% authentic sound (recorded in mono), and nice songs.

Roy Loney & The Longshots, Record Party, Rock & Roll Inc. Records R&R-INC 714, 1998

Roy Loney: Lead vocals, rythm guitar
Tad Hutchison: Drums
Joey Kline: Rythm guitar, backing vocals
Scott McCaughey: Bass guitar, backing vocals
Jim Sangster: Lead guitar
Scott (Ringer) Sutherland: Harmony vocals on "She's The One".

Produced by "The Ear Shots"
Engineers: Marc Guenther + Conrad Uno
Licenced from: Rockin' Roy's Productions

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This is a very rare and hard to find EP. The three first tracks is on "Drunkard In The Think Tank".

She's The One (Dubas) is a wild and funny cover of an old Chartbusters tune written by their bass player John Dubas.

Let Me Go (Loney) This rocker has a sound not very unlike the songs on “Out After Dark” A very melodic and fine rocker.

Move It Baby (Pattison) is a great cover of a song written by Hubert Pattison which was recorded by Simon Scott & The Lee Roys in 1964. It sounds very much like a wilder version of early The Beatles!

Who'll Be The Next In Line (Ray Davies). This is a fine cover of an old Kinks song that is one of their least known singles from the 60's. A good choice!

Summary: 3/4 of this EP are covers. But it's a good selection and the performace is great. The only Loney original is as usual a great song. This is Roy on top form!

Roy Loney & Señor No, Bottle Of Wine, Hotsak GH-01 EP, 2007

Roy Loney: lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Mikel Yarza: guitar
Xabi Garre: guitar, harmonica, backing vocals
Fumai: bass, backing vocals
Guantxe: drums

EP recorded and released in Spain in 2007 with the following songs:

A1) Bottle Of Wine (Paxton) is a song written by Tom Paxton that was a hit for The Fireballs in 1968. This is a great and funny version.

A2) The First One's Free (Loney), yes a new great version.

B1) Who's Driving Your Plane (Jagger, Richards). Roy have often been compared to The Rolling Stones but have never released a cover before. This is a great one and it was the b-side on Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?

B2) The Critter (Loney) is a new Loney song, a fine rocker with loud guitars.

The EP is good but the mastering is terrible with too much mid range frequencies which makes the guitars sound very funny.