12.05.2005
Funky Mud / Electrode
Jan Davis Funky Mud (Triad, 196?)
B.B. Cunningham, Jr. Electrode (Cover, 1959)
Here are two somewhat obscure instrumentals by a couple lesser known guitarist.
Jan Davis is one of the many studio guitarist who haunted Los Angeles in the 1960s. He was involved in the surf music scene, creating many a cool instrumental (Watusi Zombie, Boss Machine, The Time Funnel) but never scoring a hit. He also played in Kim Flowley's studio group, B. Bumble and the Stingers. Later he dedicated himself to flamenco and classical. After the World Trade Center attack, he penned a tribute to its victims.
B.B Cunningham, Jr. comes from a Memphis musical family. His father, Buddy Blake Cunningham (AKA Buddy Blake) was an early Sun Records artist and founder of Cover Records. B.B. Jr.'s brother is Bill Cunningham, who was to chart with the great Memphis pop band, the Box Tops. In 1959, B.B. Jr. had a minor hit with Trip to Bandstand, a novelty song with a talk-over about going to American Bandstand and meeting Dick Clark. And then settled into running his dad's label, before forming the legendary Memphis garage punk band The Hombres.
Both of these cuts are B-sides. Jan Davis's single front an instrumental version of Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart. B.B., Jr's plug is the novelty song, Trip to Bandstand, a talk over that has B.B and his girl meeting Dick Clark. Both dwarf their A-sides.
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