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Hidden tracks - physical media still holds unexpected surprises
Locals bands known for sweetening the pot with secret songs
Dontcha just love getting something for nothing? And who doesn’t fantasize about finding hidden treasure? That’s pretty much the notion behind “Easter eggs” on DVDs and hidden tracks on albums – the goodies are there, but you gotta find ‘em.
Probably the first hidden track was on Monty Python’s Matching Tie and Handkerchief vinyl album, released in 1973. I remember the first time I put on side two – funny, funny stuff, and then the automatic record changer kicked in, the needle arm lifted up, returned to the beginning, and the album started again (yeah, I know this is stone age technology to a lot of you, but that’s how record players worked).
When the album began playing again, a voice boomed “I think all right thinking people are sick and tired of being sick and tired….” I couldn’t recall the skit, even though I’d just played side 2. Then another unfamiliar bit, and then another – WTF?!?!?!
Turns out the album had “double grooves” – one set played side two, and another set played a hitherto unsuspected – and unmentioned – side three!!! Nowhere on the record sleeve was this noted – there was no way of knowing until your record player needle happened to slide into an alternate set of tracks upon starting the album!
You can find a number of such goodies on releases by the Shambles and Manual Scan – first, a bit of background about the bands.
San Diego in the '80s was friendly to mod-leaning rockers with thin ties and a bright pop sound to match the polish on their shiny shoes. Managing to be both stylish and retro (no easy feat), Manual Scan thrilled not only the metal Vespa crowd, but amassed a European following as well with several popular single and EP releases.
Manual mainmen Bart Mendoza and Kevin Donaker have been musical partners since 1980, when they paired up to form Scan. "You had to own a metal scooter to be mod," Mendoza says, referencing local scenesters who used to hang out at Vespa Super Shop and Gelato Vera in Mission Hills, checking out the Tell-Tale Hearts at the old downtown Soma or rallying to see Quadrophenia at the Ken Cinema.
After a string of overseas hits (with little attention paid in the States), the duo reformed in the early ‘90s as the Shambles, with a rotating roster of new players (including bassist Mark Z of the Crawdaddys and a succession of drummers rivaling Spinal Tap's). Their originals still maintain that '60s sound, albeit more powered-up, à la Nick Lowe or Oasis, and they have a vast repertoire of eclectic covers (Badfinger, the Zombies, unreleased bootleg Beatles cuts, and more).
Mendoza collects local vinyl, with the most rare piece in his own collection being the Scottsville Squirrel Barker album with Chris Hillman (later of the Byrds), from around 1962. "Copies have sold in excess of $200 in mint condition. I got mine at a thrift store, although that was 25 years ago." He still rides a metal scooter and has never owned or driven a car.
The Shambles have toured extensively and performed in Mexico, Spain, England, and throughout the U.S., appearing in concert as well as on TV and radio. They've also contributed to over three dozen compilation albums and have released four of their own albums to date. There's been a fair bit of press, from Billboard to Creem, and they've gigged with Jonathan Richman, the Rembrandts, Superdrag, the Records, OK Go, the Wondermints, Sugarplastic, Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney, guitarist), the Alarm, Robyn Hitchcock, 20/20, Graham Parker, and Stereophonics, among many others.
Now back to those hidden tracks: “Our albums usually have between 14 and 20 tracks, but with the hidden stuff it usually goes quite a bit higher,” says Bart Mendoza. “The Spanish Manual Scan disc ended up with 31! We started to add demos and the like to the discs as a bonus in a big way when we signed to Snap! Records in Spain, as they wanted hidden tracks for their version of Clouds All Day, and we continue today.”
“There is probably a couple of albums worth of hidden tracks on our various albums,” says Mendoza. “Most of it is lo-fi; demos, radio recordings, live stuff, spoken word bits. A Manual Scan anthology had clips of the band being interviewed or played on stations around the world, including a clip of our first airplay/interview ever on KCR back in the early eighties. Some really cool solo Kevin guitar demos show up as well. But the oddest hidden track is probably an acoustic busk through Gilbert O'Sullivan's ‘Get Down’ on the Shambles Chelsea Smiles album.”
The Shambles’ 2008 album Desde Ayer of course has hidden goodies. “There are commercials for a recent concert and a sound check recording of the band working up a cover of Los Brincos "Tu En Mi", which fits thematically with the Spanish theme.”
Here's something you might be interested in.
Hidden tracks - physical media still holds unexpected surprises
Locals bands known for sweetening the pot with secret songs
Hidden tracks - physical media still holds unexpected surprises
Locals bands known for sweetening the pot with secret songs
Dontcha just love getting something for nothing? And who doesn’t fantasize about finding hidden treasure? That’s pretty much the notion behind “Easter eggs” on DVDs and hidden tracks on albums – the goodies are there, but you gotta find ‘em.
Probably the first hidden track was on Monty Python’s Matching Tie and Handkerchief vinyl album, released in 1973. I remember the first time I put on side two – funny, funny stuff, and then the automatic record changer kicked in, the needle arm lifted up, returned to the beginning, and the album started again (yeah, I know this is stone age technology to a lot of you, but that’s how record players worked).
When the album began playing again, a voice boomed “I think all right thinking people are sick and tired of being sick and tired….” I couldn’t recall the skit, even though I’d just played side 2. Then another unfamiliar bit, and then another – WTF?!?!?!
Turns out the album had “double grooves” – one set played side two, and another set played a hitherto unsuspected – and unmentioned – side three!!! Nowhere on the record sleeve was this noted – there was no way of knowing until your record player needle happened to slide into an alternate set of tracks upon starting the album!
You can find a number of such goodies on releases by the Shambles and Manual Scan – first, a bit of background about the bands.
San Diego in the '80s was friendly to mod-leaning rockers with thin ties and a bright pop sound to match the polish on their shiny shoes. Managing to be both stylish and retro (no easy feat), Manual Scan thrilled not only the metal Vespa crowd, but amassed a European following as well with several popular single and EP releases.
Manual mainmen Bart Mendoza and Kevin Donaker have been musical partners since 1980, when they paired up to form Scan. "You had to own a metal scooter to be mod," Mendoza says, referencing local scenesters who used to hang out at Vespa Super Shop and Gelato Vera in Mission Hills, checking out the Tell-Tale Hearts at the old downtown Soma or rallying to see Quadrophenia at the Ken Cinema.
After a string of overseas hits (with little attention paid in the States), the duo reformed in the early ‘90s as the Shambles, with a rotating roster of new players (including bassist Mark Z of the Crawdaddys and a succession of drummers rivaling Spinal Tap's). Their originals still maintain that '60s sound, albeit more powered-up, à la Nick Lowe or Oasis, and they have a vast repertoire of eclectic covers (Badfinger, the Zombies, unreleased bootleg Beatles cuts, and more).
Mendoza collects local vinyl, with the most rare piece in his own collection being the Scottsville Squirrel Barker album with Chris Hillman (later of the Byrds), from around 1962. "Copies have sold in excess of $200 in mint condition. I got mine at a thrift store, although that was 25 years ago." He still rides a metal scooter and has never owned or driven a car.
The Shambles have toured extensively and performed in Mexico, Spain, England, and throughout the U.S., appearing in concert as well as on TV and radio. They've also contributed to over three dozen compilation albums and have released four of their own albums to date. There's been a fair bit of press, from Billboard to Creem, and they've gigged with Jonathan Richman, the Rembrandts, Superdrag, the Records, OK Go, the Wondermints, Sugarplastic, Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney, guitarist), the Alarm, Robyn Hitchcock, 20/20, Graham Parker, and Stereophonics, among many others.
Now back to those hidden tracks: “Our albums usually have between 14 and 20 tracks, but with the hidden stuff it usually goes quite a bit higher,” says Bart Mendoza. “The Spanish Manual Scan disc ended up with 31! We started to add demos and the like to the discs as a bonus in a big way when we signed to Snap! Records in Spain, as they wanted hidden tracks for their version of Clouds All Day, and we continue today.”
“There is probably a couple of albums worth of hidden tracks on our various albums,” says Mendoza. “Most of it is lo-fi; demos, radio recordings, live stuff, spoken word bits. A Manual Scan anthology had clips of the band being interviewed or played on stations around the world, including a clip of our first airplay/interview ever on KCR back in the early eighties. Some really cool solo Kevin guitar demos show up as well. But the oddest hidden track is probably an acoustic busk through Gilbert O'Sullivan's ‘Get Down’ on the Shambles Chelsea Smiles album.”
The Shambles’ 2008 album Desde Ayer of course has hidden goodies. “There are commercials for a recent concert and a sound check recording of the band working up a cover of Los Brincos "Tu En Mi", which fits thematically with the Spanish theme.”