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BILLY THORPE & THE AZTECS
Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat (Chris Andrews) Australia 1966 Track 1 on the 1966 Parlophone album Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat. Also on the 1981 compilation It's All Happening (also the name of Billy Thorpe's 1966-1967 TV series). Billy Thorpe (1946-2007): British-born singer, guitarist and songwriter whose family emigrated to Brisbane in the 1950s. Based in Sydney from 1963, 'Thorpy', with The Aztecs, had numerous pop hits in a variety of styles, but at the end of the 60s, then in Melbourne, he fronted a loud, rocky, blues-based formation of the Aztecs that contrasted with his earlier pop idol image. Later, his solo and business career took him to Los Angeles, and he wrote two popular autobiographical books, Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) and Sex And Thugs And Rock'n'Roll [AbeBooks link]. Further reading: Paul Culnane's account of Billy Thorpe's career at Milesago. 
ADAM FAITH WITH THE ROULETTES
Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat (Chris Andrews) UK 1964 On 1964 album On The Move by British singer and actor Adam Faith (1940-2003), backed here by The Roulettes in an updated British Invasion style for a pop idol whose biggest hits were in the pre-Beatles era. Chris Andrews wrote all but one of the 15 songs on On The Move, including I Do, which had been on the other side of Chris Andrews' own 1963 release of Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat. Adam Faith's last Top 5 single The First Time (1963, #5 UK) was another Chris Andrews composition. Adam Faith twice sang Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat with the alternative title That Kind Of Beat on US pop show Shindig, in January and December 1965. Further reading: Adam Faith biography and discography at AdamFaith.org.uk
CHRIS RAVEL & THE RAVERS
Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat (Chris Andrews) UK 1963 Original version Single on Decca by band led by singer-songwriter-producer Chris Andrews, later known for his compositions that were hits for Sandie Shaw, including Girl Don't Come (1964, #3 UK) and Long Live Love (1965, #1); and for his own singles Yesterday Man (1965, #3 UK) and To Whom It May Concern (1965, #13 UK). Ubiquitous session guitarist Jimmy Page played on this. See the Jimmy Page Sessionography (now offline, but archived at Wayback Machine). Further reading: Chris Andrews biography and discography and Chris Ravel & The Ravers listing at 45-rpm.org.uk. Not to be confused with the Fleur de Lys singer, a different Chris Andrews.
MIKE READ
Paul McCartney: Don't You Dig This Kind Of Beat (Alan Clayson) Red herring This appears on a Sanctuary boxed set entitled The Beatles, not a recording of the song, but a chapter title on a spoken-word audio book written by Alan Clayson and read by Mike Read. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |