Monday, August 22, 2011

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Loot

THE LOOT-She's A Winner/Save Me U.S. Page One 21.017 1968






















We already nattered on about The Loot for a bit over at:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/11/loot-debut.html

This was their only U.S. single to my knowledge.  "She's A Winner" was issued in the U.K. first  as Page One POF 095 with "Radio City" as the flip side, it was re released with the same catalog number but bearing a different flip side "Save Me" (no relation to either the Dave Dee or Aretha Franklin numbers of the same name).  Oddly "Radio City" again appeared as the flip to their final U.K. single "Try To Keep It A Secret" (Page one POF 115 January 1969).


















"She's A Winner" was my introduction to the band on a cassette taped presented to me in early 1985 called "Carnaby Classics" by the legendary Ron Rimsite.  Among choice 45 cuts by The Smoke, The Syn, The Herd, Idle Race etc was this leeringly lethargic monster.  Like their debut 45 that we blogged about in their earlier mentioned entry, "She's A Winner" cannot be written about without a mention of The Troggs.  Again this number, like so many Troggs tunes, oozes primal sexuality in the most basic, knuckle dragging way.  From it's slowed down "Kinks on downers" opening chords (accented by some hand claps) to it's primitive beat and jeering/leering drawn out vocals the track is a solid gass all the way through! The flip side,"Save Me" enters our "Anorak Thing" oft quoted genre of "great A-side, crap song on the B-side that sounds like a different band", I've no clue what they were going for on this! Both sides were produced by Troggs drummer Ronnie Bond.

"Save Me" (as already mentioned is not to be confused with the Dave Dee etc or Aretha tune) sounds COMPLETELY like a different band (like most of their flip sides) coming off like a cross between the late 60's Troggs saccharine or late period pop Manfred's. Utterly soulless, bland, pop.

Both sides cropped up on the now scarce Radioactive Loot 45 rpm CD Anthology "The Loot: Singles A's & B's".

Hear "She's A Winner":

http://youtu.be/pC39ogMge8o

Hear "Save Me":

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