Casino Royale Coming!

For your listening pleasure, I will post some more of the Casino Royale soundtrack during the upcoming July 4 weekend. Remember, this is NOT the new James Bond film; it is the original satirical film released in 1967 with a wonderful soundtrack that is in many ways far better than the film.

Look for the music this weekend.

Let Us Revisit the World of Sajid Khan

Yes. As the wonders of spring give way to the promise of summer, it is time, once again, to revisit the world of Sajid Khan.

Although Sajid is always in our thoughts, he comes to us but once every few weeks. Marvel at his presence while you can.

In today's visit, our noble friend does his best on "This Guy's in Love With You." Needless to say, another noble fellow, the Herb of Alpert from the land of the Tijuana Brass, thin voice and all, has nothing to worry about from our Sajid.

Hail Sajid! Rejoice at his coming! Enjoy this cover version!

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=1DB798DC371AFDA3

More Sajid Khan Coming Soon!

Be on the lookout! More Sajid Khan Colgems tunes will be posted soon!

The Flying Nun Sings (Again)!

Here's one more offering from The Flying Nun album.

No, Sally Field was never much of a singer, but she really tried her hardest on this LP. Since summer begins today, I thought a Christmas-oriented track would be in order, so without further ado, here is "Follow the Star."

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=F3FD2D9417006EFA

Colgems Cassette

Here's a very rare Colgems cassette, the original Monkees Greatest Hits album from 1969. The original LP is fairly rare, so I would assume that the cassette is even rarer--and the 8-track is probably the rarest of all.

I don't know how many Colgems albums also came out as cassettes beyond the Monkees releases. I would assume that many of the soundtracks came out this way too.

Monkees Jukebox Records

As promised, here are the two jukebox extended play disks from the Monkees' first two LPs that Colgems put out in 1966 and 1967.

The covers are the same for the parent LPs, but notice the different record number in the top lefthand corner.

I actually have these, but without the covers and the song strips.

Colgems Album-Film Festival

In 1969, when Colgems was starting to sense its demise, the label put out this album, which included tracks from several of its earlier soundtrack albums, including Oliver, Casino Royale and Head.

Today, it stands as something of a collectors item, giving the listener a hint of the quality of soundtrack that the label had produced.

Colgems Soundtrack-In Cold Blood Album Track

In Cold Blood (starring former "Our Gang" member and future "Baretta" star Robert Blake) was one of the late 1960s best, most gripping films, and its soundtrack is no slouch either. Although one of the lightest tracks on the LP, "Nina" by Gil Bernal shines both within the context of the film and on its own.

Listen for yourself.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=24248E5905486F6E

Monkees Jukebox Records

Among the rarest of the Colgems releases are The Monkees jukebox records, extended play disks that were used in jukeboxes.

I believe that there are only two of these that were available during 1966 and 1967. They are for the group's first two albums:
"The Monkees" (CGLP-101) and "More of the Monkees" (CGLP-102). These were issued with 10 song-title strips and three mini LP covers, and were edited-down versions of the actual LPs, omitting two songs on each album.

I will try to get a scan up at a later date on at least one of them.

Another El Cheapo Colgems LP

This LP was released to coincide with The Monkees Post Cereal records and the emergence of the show on Saturday morning television. It includes the songs that were featured on the cereal boxes.

The packaging is embarrassingly bad, the record is wobbly and flimsy, but what do you expect from what amounts to a premium? It is still highly valued by completists.

40th Anniversary Celebration

I recently received this information from a member of the Colgems Yahoo Group I run. I thought it might be of interest to those visiting this blog:

WBWC-FM, a college station in the Cleveland suburb of Berea, Ohio, is planning a 24-hour "40th Anniversary Monkeethon" starting on Thursday, June 8, at 7 AM EST. New interviews with Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Monkee expert Andrew Sandoval are promised, as are hourly giveaways. Go to http://wbwc.com/summermarathon06/marathon.asp?site=6Monkees for more info--and yes, you can listen on the internet at http://wbwc.com.

Since it is The Monkees' 40th anniversary, it is also Colgems' 40th anniversary. I doubt that the special will go into the history of Colgems and the othere artists that recorded for the label, but, you never know.

Another Colgems Back Cover

The Birds, the Bees and The Monkees was the first of the Pre-Fab Four's albums not to hit the top spot, stalling at #3 in 1968. Nonetheless, it shines with a number of the group's best songs, including "Daydream Believer," "Valleri," and "Tapioca Tundra."

It would be their final Top 20 album and their last gold album for 18 years, when their Arista Greatest Hits album with "That Was Then, This Is Now" reached the Top 20 and went platinum.

Colgems Artist-Peter Kastner

Peter Kastner was one of those numerous up and coming young actors who came of age in the mid to late 1960s. He starred in several films, including one of Francis Ford Copolla's earliest legitimate efforts, "You're a Big Boy Now," as well as the hip "B.S. I Love You."

He had extensive TV work on a number of soap operas, and as the star of the outlandish, short lived "The Ugliest Girl in Town," about a cross-dressing model making it in Swinging London.

He later went on to become a successful director.

Kastner recorded a few sides for Colgems, and while they weren't successful, they are highly listenable, like "I Just Can't Get Over You," which is included at the link below.

(By the way, in the photo, Kastner is in the middle.)

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=4E38167D538344A0

Colgems Rare Soundtrack-Hammerhead

Here is another soundtrack that was put out on the Colgems label. I know very little about the move or the soundtrack, as I don't have either one, but I have heard that the soundtrack is actually quite good.

If anyone has the soundtrack in MP3 format, please contact me, as I would not only like to have it, but I can post tracks to this blog.