Customer Reviews

Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This man and his these blue caps rocked circles around Elvis, bad leg or not! Elvis was deeply loved and rightfully so, but upon spinning this disc one can't help but wonder, where was all the recognition Gene Vincent and his "blue caps" so richly deserved?
"Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps" and his first release ("Blue Jean Bop")are the most high energy, ballsy rockabilly imaginable. Gene's voice is at least equal to Presley and his delivery and range are superior. The songs are strong and Cliff Gallup's guitar work will absolutely pull you into listening to this disc, time after time. It's fresh and gutsy stuff to this day, even if almost a half-century old.
After this one, the band's line-up fell apart and Gallup left. Vincent's stuff there after was not quite as good, and perhaps that is why his popularity did not soar, at least not here in the U.S. Or maybe it was just that he didn't have the "love me tender" looks so many folks say Elvis initially had. It's too bad Amazon doesn't show the excellent cover photo for this one. It's a great pic' of Gene and the Caps and shows he had a very powerful edge and energy about his music "The King" could not match. The artwork throughout is very good and with 17 great tracks, this one plays for a decent 40 minutes. It's music that is just too incredible to be little-known. Git it and git ready to ask yourself how music this good and this original, can also be so obscure.

Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps are often only remembered for the 1956 hit "Be Bop a Lula" which is a shame because the musicianship of the Blue Caps produced a superb sound. Gene had some other hits and was much more popular overseas. This is Vincents second album for Capitol from 1957 and sounds better than ever on CD, which also features some bonus tracks. GREAT STUFF!!!!!

Like I said, this is THE greatest R'n'R album ever. Almost every song is a wild,wild rocker. And I mean WILD. This collection of tunes makes Elvis look like Pat Boone. When it was first was released in 1957, it probably sold moderately, but was overlooked. I am pretty sure it has a cult following especially since it has been reissued as an American released CD. Like most Rockabilly music and also Eddie Cochran, Gene is much more appreciated in Europe than in America. If you like real wild rock'n'roll, get this CD right away!! There are also a few bonus tracks on it.

Yes, this is great music. Yes, "The Blue Caps" are historically under rated. Yes Cliff Gallup was one of Rock and Roll's great guitarists.

BUT THIS 2002 REMASTER SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS RECORDED IN A BEER CAN!

And it shouldn't. I have the vinyl, and a number of tracks on a Rhino CD, and the sound is far superior to this disaster.

The ONLY redeeming quality is that it does indeed sound as though you're listening to this music through a 1956 transistor radio.

Whoever is responsible for this should never be allowed in a sound booth for as long as they live. And people wonder why these guys aren't remembered as they should be.

The music that I KNOW is there gets 5 stars. . . this so-called remaster gets 0.

Albums like this are proof that, despite popular mythology, there were great rock and roll albums before the Beatles. None of Gene Vincent's best-remembered hits are here, and it doesn't matter. This is a CD full of empassioned performances, crisp production values, and the sort of dynamics that we just don't hear much in popular music anymore. The 17 songs included here help to explain not only why rockabilly continues as a cult but why British guitarists as diverse as Jeff Beck and George Harrison were absolutely enthralled with players like Gene Vincent's lead guitarist Cliff Gallup. I've listened to this CD again and again, and always find a new detail to marvel at. Gene Vincent was an exciting singer, and His Blue Caps were one of the very best rock and roll bands of all time. If you truly love rock and roll, you will want this for your collection.

Knew Gene Baby by reputation only, until about 10 years ago when I picked up something out of a remainder bin. Of course Be Bop A Lula had entered the subcutaneous tissue by osmosis somehow over the years but that's all I knew of Gene. This disk doesn't disappoint. I'm with Jeff Beck on Gene and his guitarist. Absolute masters of the art. Very stylized sound. Still surprisingly "modern". Taught, minimal, spare, cool. They captured a moment in time perfectly ... along with Chuck Berry, Eddy Cochran, the Kingster, et al. That moment being late 50s Americana ... red blue genes, hotrods, sexed-up chicadees, record machines, and coca cola. Before the rot set in, and cocain, heroin, and androgeny became the accompaniments to a perfect evening. It had all the preoccupations of the first onrush of baby boomers. But Gene and his gang really were masters of the sound and the attitude like few others. Pity it flowered for such a brief period. This disk tells you all you need to know about the sound, the savvy, and the faire.

When we purchased this CD online from Amazon... We waited the full time for it to come, when we still had not received the CD..I had to call Amazon and then was finally told that they did not have it in stock and they werent sure when they would again. I guess maybe not advertising that you carry it..and then taking someones money for months..finally to tell that person when they make contact with YOU...is a failure on your end Amazon.