Genre: garage
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Black Is Black
Company: Press
Catalog: PAS-83002
Year: 1967
Country/State: Spain
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: bullet hole; stereo pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: not yet listed
Price: $35.00
Cost: $66.00
Bassist Miguel
Luis Vicens Danus, keyboardist Manuel Fernandez, singer Michael Kogel,
guitarist Antonio Martinez and drummer Juan-Pablo Sanllehi started their
musical collaboration in the summer of 1965. Originally known as Mike and
the Runaways, they quickly evolved into Los Sonor, racking up a string of
hits in their native Spain. Voted the country's top rock band, by chance
several of their Spanish singles made their way into the hands of English
producer Ivor Raymonde. Raymonde was sufficiently impressed to fly to Madrid
to check out the group. After hearing their cover of "Black Is
Black" he invited them to audition in London, where they were promptly
signed to a contract with London's Parrot subsidiary (London's Press
subsidiary acquired American distribution rights).
Released as a single, 1966's "Black Is Black" b/w "I Want a
Name" provided the band with an international hit, including a top-10
seller in the States (in the process making Los Bravos the first Spanish
rock group to hit the American charts). As was standard marketing procedure,
London rushed the group into the studio to record a supporting album.
Co-produced by Raymonde and Alain Milhaud, the cleverly titled "Black
Is Black" defied the odds, avoiding the usual set of
throwaways in favor of occasionally sloppy but enthusiastic garage rockers.
While the 12 songs were all covers, powered by Kogel's tart voice, material
such as "Trapped", "I Don't Care", "Stop That
Girl," and "You Won't Get Far" was all excellent - easily as
good, if not better than most Mersybeat product. Propelled by the title
track, the parent album hit # 93. (Compared to other Spanish bands, we were
always curious how the band managed to perform without much of an accent
(Spanish accents occasionally cropped up on the backing vocals such as
"Don't Be Left Out In the Cold"). Turned out lead singer Kogel
wasn't Spanish; he was born and raised in Germany.)
"Black Is Black" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Black Is Black (Tony Hayes - Steve Wadey - Grainger) - 2:53
2.) Trapped (Coutier - Martin) - 2:18
3.) Baby, Baby (Diaz - Ivor Raymonde) - 2:33
4.) Make It Easy (Butler - Diaz) - 2:39
5.) She Believes In Me (Pallavicini - Bambo - Callender) - 2:58
6.) I Want a Name (Diaz - Ivor Raymonde) - 2:38
(side 2)
1.) I Don't Care
(Clark - Ivor Raymonde) - 2:23
2.) Stop that Girl (Butler - Diaz) - 2:34
3.) I'm Cutting Out (Coutier - Martin) - 2:57
4.) Don't Be Left Out In the Cold (Diaz -0 Stellman) - 2:10
5.) You Won't Get Far (Butler - Diaz) - 2:15
6.) Baby, Believe Me (Diaz - Ivor Raymonde) -
