(2010, download, - , crossfire publications)
(2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications)

various artists

paul buff presents the pal and original sound studio archives, vol.7

2010 download - crossfire publications

re-releases
    (2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications) = the complete 35 album series, with bonus liner notes on pdf and 56 extra tracks

various tracks recorded by Paul Buff

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paulbuffvarious3

  1. arty & the supremes: hombre (second single version)

  2. johnny atlan (johnny fisher): indian maid

  3. the masters: let me love you (backing track)

  4. johnny barakat & the vestells: all night long

  5. mike dineri: shanda

  6. johnny fortune: gee, but i miss you

  7. the pal studio band/ allison buff: i'm losing status at the high school

  8. rene & ray: too late

  9. jody reynolds: dusty skies

  10. terri & the velveteens: bells of love

  11. sonny wilson: the day my baby left me

  12. the masters: for sonny

  13. the penguins: memories of el monte (single mix)

  14. the buff organisation: thinking of you (version 1)

  15. ricky dean: flowers (stereo single mix)

  16. the velveteens: maria

  17. the hollywood persuaders: something else

liner notes by Greg Russo:

Welcome to Volume 7 of Paul Buff's 20-volume series of recordings from Pal Studios and Original Sound Studios! Pal Records was a record company run by his mother Olivia and stepfather Ward Allen. After Paul Buff was honorably discharged from the military, he finished putting together Pal Studios in December 1957. The studio costs were $12.50/hour for mono recording and $15/hour for stereo. Local musicians booked the studio to make recordings of their rehearsals and repertoire. When Pal Records wound itself down in mid-1959, Paul Buff created his first record label - Emmy. Other labels (Plaza, Yukon and Vigah!) would follow shortly thereafter. The music presented on this series was released on extremely rare records that would literally cost thousands if you can find them. In addition, there are many unreleased tracks spanning from 1960 to 1969. Paul Buff is now making them available again for everyone to appreciate.

You've heard "Hombre" by Arty & The Supremes on a previous volume, but the slightly shorter version with that Mr. Ed-sounding guy occasionally saying the title hasn't turned up until now! We'll leave it up to you as to which one is better, but both versions are fun recastings of "Smokey Joe's Café."

There were lots of songs in rock's early years about what "damage" it would cause if you were exposed to it. Johnny Atlan's "Indian Maid" was about the exposure of Native Americans to rock and roll! Atlan was Johnny Fisher in disguise, but no one got to hear "Indian Maid" because he left Pal before the record's flipside ("Far Across The Sea") was cut in 1961. Now you can hear it! Two versions of the song's instrumental track will turn up later.

The backing track of The Masters' "Let Me Love You" was done for otherwise unknown vocalist Chester Martin. The Metallics' version of "Let Me Love You" was co-produced by Plaza artist Dino Dupree in 1962, but The Masters had no idea about that version when they did theirs. Ronnie Williams and Paul Buff cut the backing track, which is very reminiscent of Santo & Johnny, at around the same time. Once again, Ronnie Williams' guitar mastery shines through. The vocal version will be featured on a later version, and please check out The Masters' album for all of their recordings.

The late Johnny Barakat was a lesser-known surf guitarist on the scene, but he was one of the most prolific within a short period. Disabled as a child by a shooting at his father's store, Barakat developed his guitar skills to get him through his recovery period. He formed the backing group The Vestells and he was on his way. Johnny released just one single at the time ("Happy Time"/ "Long Ride"), but all of his known studio works at the time (all done at Pal Studios) were released in 1996. That is, until now. A tape of three unreleased Barakat masters was located recently, and one of them, "All Night Long," appears here. It's short but powerful.

Mike Dineri chips in with his "Shanda," a guitar-led instrumental before Dineri takes over! "Gee, But I Miss You" was first recorded by Johnny Fortune in 1956 as the B-side of his first single. He re-recorded it at Pal for the flipside of "I'm In Heaven (When You Kiss Me)" (Volume 5).

"I'm Losing Status At The High School" was the first version of what Frank Zappa would later call "Status Back Baby" when he did it with The Mothers Of Invention. This Pal Studios version features Allison Buff as the female vocalist. Note the sped-up vocals, a technique that Paul Buff would use years later on Shapes Of Sound's "Twisted Conversation."

Rene & Ray's second single "Too Late" was completely ignored when it was released by Donna in July 1962. The old-school way of thinking was that if you had some success with a record, you would record a very similar-sounding follow-up tune. "Too Late" was very similar to "Queen Of My Heart," but perhaps too similar to make it.

What was not familiar sounding was Jody Reynolds' "Dusty Skies." The late Reynolds was a master at very descriptive story songs, especially dealing with negative consequences. Jody had a big hit in 1958 with "Endless Sleep," but he never again enjoyed widespread commercial success. "Dusty Skies" is one of Jody Reynolds' most obscure recordings - in fact, very few people know about it. It was released by Emmy in the middle of 1962 backed with "Come On Twist."

Terri & The Velveteens' "Bells Of Love" was issued by the small Kerwood label, but it was cut at Pal Studios. This track and its flipside "You've Broken My Heart" are very sought-after tunes from the era. Too bad no one ever heard Sonny Wilson's "The Day My Baby Left Me" because it was never released. This 1960 Pal recording is one of Sonny's first after releasing his Sun single.

Paul Buff and Ronnie Williams, as The Masters, laid down "For Sonny" in-between sessions. It has the familiar Pal sound, but it's completely different than anything else that Buff recorded with Sonny Wilson.

Another early success for Frank Zappa was "Memories Of El Monte," which he co-wrote with Ray Collins for The Penguins. Zappa and Collins signed their publishing agreement for the song on August 23, 1962, but the record was not released until February 1963. Cleve Duncan was the only real Penguins member on board, but no matter. It's a well-known and classic song of the period.

"Thinking Of You" was one of the first Buff Organization tracks, coming out of the brief period as The Catalinas. This version has Paul Buff singing, and there's another version with Allison Buff doing the lead vocals. It has not been released until now.  

Ricky Dean returned to the recording scene in late 1967 to record "Flowers" for Original Sound. Dean and Paul Buff wrote the song, which Paul produced. Allison Buff is the female vocalist and she turns in an excellent performance. The Velveteens' "Maria" is another unreleased track rescued from an acetate and is a Johnny Valenzuela-led vocal tune.

Finishing things up this time is "Something Else" - another track rescued from an acetate. Definitely one of the rarest Hollywood Persuaders tracks that no one has listened to, but it's one of the best!